Musings from Foree

ASSEMBLY

2010-09-15T13:56:00.001-07:00

Take a walk through the New Testament and in truth you will not come across many scriptures which have to do with Christian ASSEMBLY (church). When you do come across them (1 Corr. 11-14; Heb. 10:23-25) you find that the focus of assembly time was primarily HORIZONTAL - that is person to person. The believers gathered and their time was spent trying to encourage and strengthen one another. WORSHIP in the NT is really about the life we live and so worshipers gathered together to encourage one another to "hang in there" the rest of the time. They studied and prayed and communed and all of it was done because they needed it. Paul in 1 Corinthians, told the Corinthians over and over again to do what they did in assembly for the benefit of others. He even told them to wait on each other before they communed. In 1 Cor. 14he tells them to take turns, listen when another is speaking and do everything in an orderly manner so that all who attend can understand and be edified. Christian assembly is really much more horizontally directed than vertically. It was meant to be the support group for believers to give them the courage to live for Jesus every day. Foree

Lead us not into temptation.

2010-07-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

This is a troublesome request to me. I know the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted. HE did not do the tempting but he took Jesus there. I assume Jesus needed that experience in his walk here. Maybe that had to take place so that he would be tempted like us yet without sin. It happened before his ministry began. He was in the wilderness to learn to trust God. It brought him closer to the Father as he began his journey to the cross.

The Father allows us to be tempted - look at Adam and Eve - but he never tempts James says. So we ask us not to take us there knowing, as Jesus did, it would come. Hence, "deliver us from the evil one." The Father who brings us will carry is through. The whole dance is about faith in Him.

I have no doubt temptation will come in many ways. I have no doubt it will be a struggle. AND I have no doubt the Father and the Spirit and the Word and Jesus himself will help me through....this is our faith. Also it is part of our journey.

Forgive and Being Forgiven

2010-03-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

Some clsoing words frm Jesus which connect our forgiveness from Him with our ability to forgive. This is perhaps our greatest calling from the lord. It is like His demand that we love our enemies and poray for those who are against us. These are indeed hard sayings for those who follow.

It is rather easy to accept forgiveness from God. Who wants to hang on to sins committed, reliving them over and over again??? God says he forgives and it is done. It is true that we sometimes have a hard time forgicing ourselves but generally we get the job done.

Now, on to more difficult issues - forgiving others. It is so easy to hold a grudge or become bitter and hang on to offenses from others. IT is rather painless to withdraw from someone who has offended and just ignore their presence and act as if they do not exist.

Jesus disallows such behavior. Our forgiveness is tied to our abilty to forgive. If I cannot forgive what does that say about my relationship with God? Foree

Give Us Our Daily Bread - A Double Edged Sword

2010-03-05T06:12:00.000-08:00

God is the one who sustains us. Regardless of our ability to earn, that ability comes from God. Help me Father to not become focused on human achievement. Thank you for giving humanity the abilities we have to work and accumulate things and enjoy this world you made. Help me to realize and embrace the truth that while human ability and achievement is a blessing from you it is a double edged sword. The gift to earn and acquire can become the idol of my life. The friends you bring to me can replace your presence if I am not careful. The human spirit with all of its advantages can become a spirit of pride and arrogance. My thinking capacity, a blessing from you, can be so complex that I decide faith is no longer needed. Thank you Father for giving me the necessities of life. Help those gifts not to become my god.

Read the story of Babel in Genesis 11. God endowed people with the creative ability to build and achieve. That same ability drove them to "make a name for themselves." Their God given talent crowded God out. They forgot their bread came from Him. Foree

YOUR WILL BE DONE

2010-03-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

This is my request to God. My desires, goals, requests and pleas are all centered around my desire for God to do HIS WILL. Help me Father to be obedient to your agenda and not to mine. Correct me when I get on the wrong road. Convict me when I give into my own desire and think I know what is best for me. Help me avoid being fooled by the Tempters persuasions. Give me the grace I need to perform in life for you and you alone.

When Jesus was in the garden his humanity sought freedom from the suffering of the cross when he said "...let this cup pass from me..." But he preceded it with "If it be your will" by saying "not my will but yours be done." This was the faith of Jesus. "I am willing to do whatever your will is that I do."

We can always trust the faithful Father who knows more than we know. His will is always best for us. Our will is to do His will. foree

Have a read and see where you fit....

2010-03-01T11:48:00.000-08:00

Latest reports are that five terorist cell groups have been operating in many of our churches. They have been identified as:

Bin Sleepin, Bin Arguin, Bin Fightin, Bin Complainin, and Bin Missin.

Their leader, Lucifer Bin Workin, trained these groups to hinder the Body of Christ. The plan is to come into the church disguised as Christians and to work within the church to discourage, disrupt, and destroy.

However, there have been reports of a sixth group. A tiny cell group known by the name Bin Prayin is actually the only effective counter terrorism force in the church. Unlike other terrorist cells, the Bin Prayin team does not blend in with whoever and whatever comes along.

Bin Prayin does whatever is needed to uplift and encourage the Body of Christ. we have noticed that the Prayin cell group has different characteristics than the others. They have Bin watchin, Bin waitin, Bin Fastin, and Bin longin for the Master Jesus to return to Rapture the Church.

No church is exempt; however, you can spot them if you bin lookin and bin goin.
Someone else wrote this but i found it intersting....foree

Your Kingdom Come

2010-02-23T05:59:00.000-08:00

"Kingdom" means reign and infers a territory which is the heart. Christ comes to create the reign of God in the hearts and lives of those who will repent and believe. Luke 17:21 says "...the kingdom of God is within you..." And this is my prayer that God will widen the influence of His Spirit in my life. That I will become more like Jesus in the way I live with others. Help me Lord not to strike back with fists or words. Give me the patience I need with others as they like me struggle with the flesh. May your reign in me create a humble spirit open to the guidance of your word. I ask that my religious observance be focused on honoring and bringing glory to you and not myself.

Help me to be the husband who sacrifices himself for his wife. Give me the grace not to exasperate my children. May the words of my mouth bring glory to you. May your reign in me always remind me of the cross of self denial I am called to carry.

The "kingdom of God" is about Christ transforming me. My job is to allow it. Foree

Holy Is Your Name

2010-02-17T12:49:00.000-08:00

The intimate relationship between child and parent calls for a familiar term, hence "father" or "abba." This is no meeting between strangers. This is family, a child speaking to his dad but remembering the holy Father. "Let you name be dedicated, separate and pure."

In the earliest of God's written communications He demanded His name not be spoken in plain, ordinary, vulgar and common terms. This is the Father who spoke the worlds into existence and will one day speak their destruction. He sits in the Heavenlies and those in His presence offer glory and honor to His name.

He us holy. There is none like Him. He cannot be tempted and tempts no one. He dwells in light unapproachable. He is the respondent to prayer and the deliverer of grace and mercy. He reaches down from his throne and saves us from our enemies because he delights in us.

There is no comparison to our Father in heaven. He is holy. He is unique. He is above us and in Him there is no disappointment. The Father is faithful and true. He is worthy of double honor.

And this Father of mine has forgiven me by sacrificing his own...HOLY IS YOUR NAME.

Psalm 18:1-19 - The Father who rescues...praise be to his NAME!

The Lord's Prayer- "My Father"

2010-02-16T11:46:00.000-08:00

Now this note may take a couple of blogs to get it in but I am going to try. First a little personal history. I was raised to believe that Christians should not say the Lord's prayer since the kingdom has already come...one of many things I believed which later learned to be untrue. The kingdom of God is within us (Luke 17:21). "Kingdom" is about the REIGN of God in our hearts. People who are under the Lordship of Jesus who have God as their King are kingdom people, they are people who acknowledge God in their lives.

Second - I preached a sermon on the Lord's Prayer a few weeks ago and realized that Jesus is telling is how to pray, "This then is how you should pray" (Matthew 6:9). So I have begun to pray the Prayer and it has revived my prayer life. I follow the words of the Prayer but in a developed and expanded manner. Make it personal!

For example: I begin with "My Father who is in heaven..." focusing on "my." The God of this world is MY father. I then think about my relationship to him as an adopted son, elected by him in Jesus to whom I can cry "abba" (Aramaic for daddy). I think about him waiting for me like the "Prodigal's" father - how patient he is with me and how he disciplines me and waits on me to return when I wander. Speaking to him as MY father opens a door of intimacy for me as I approach his throne. "MY FATHER."

The key for me is to personalise the prayer as I say the words and take time to expand the concepts in my heart and mind. Rather than just saying the words of the prayer, to think of the words as I ponder my relationship with him. Sometimes my whole prayer for that moment is about Him being my father.

In this part I also think of the wonderful aspects of my relationship to my earthly Father and consider how God has been that same way with me. For example - my dad shared his work and relaxation with me. He took me fishing and hunting and camping and also taught me how to wood work and work in the yard and pour concrete. We laughed and cried together and shared life. When I consider all God has done for me he too has been sharing His life with me. "My Father," what an awesome way to open conversation with God. I will share more ...but first are you getting my drift? Foree

LLC

2010-02-11T09:26:00.001-08:00

LLC anonymously wrote on my blog page and asked if I wanted to download, among other things pictures of "beautiful ladies." Makes you wonder what people are looking for in life. IS life about one sexual experience after another? I sure would like for LLC to write me back and let me know what he/she has in mind sharing things like that. I wonder of that is the sum total of their life and where they expect to go when they keep traveling down that road??? Foree

TIME

2010-02-11T09:19:00.000-08:00

Whew - time flies right on by and I looked at my blog and it has been since December since I posted...I suppose that is not necessarily a bad thing since people are not beating down the door to read it...things are going really well here at A&M...the family is doing very well and Dana and I are still married - 37 years..

Time sure does roll by -- one of these days it is going to stop - what a day that will be...We have to be ready in our relationship with our Lord....what is going on there?

Next blog is going to be me sharing my experience with the Lord's Prayer...after some introductory comments I want to share a little journey I have been on with my prayer life...Foree

Mark 6:37 YOU DO IT!

2009-12-04T11:51:00.000-08:00

In the Gospels Jesus' story is told but there are also sub themes weaved into the narrative. One of those is the training of the twelve, the Apostles. Jesus is teaching them to have faith. In Mark 6 five thousand people are hungry and the disciples ask Jesus to let them go and buy food. Jesus' response is "You give them something to eat." If you look back in Mark 6:13 that had driven out demons and anointed many people with oil to make them well. They were well aware of the power of God. In Mark 6:37 however, their response to Jesus directive "You give them something to eat" was, "That would take eight months wages." Seems they "forgot" about God's ability in them. How often we forget it is about God and not us.

"You do it" Jesus says, have faith in the Father. Jesus was not telling them THEY could do it. He was teaching them about trust in the One who can.

So we face all kinds of situations which seem insurmountable, impossible...and Jesus says "You give them something to it." And he is asking us to trust God. God can do it. Foree

ANSWER

2009-11-04T08:01:00.000-08:00

I drive by Planned Parenthood often and see the Christians out their praying month after month - I have done it once - so I do not give it much thought UNTIL YESTERDAY. The DIRECTOR of Planned Parenthood sees a video of an abortion and begins to cry at her desk. She leaves the building drives to COALITION FOR LIFE and seeks refuge saying she should have never been involved in abortions...Amazing, all those people doing all that praying all those years and maybe getting discouraged...and then BANG...the heart of a person is touched and one more finds God in a hateful world...it will be great to see what happens next - watch O'Riley this week on FOX - it is supposed to be on....Blessings ...pray on!

Acts 17:27

2009-10-22T13:40:00.001-07:00

This is the only passage I know of that tells us why God made the world and everything in it. The text says, "God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him though he is not far from each one of us." this little verse is packed with interesting items:
1) "Perhaps reach out for him" - the "perhaps" indicates that we do not have to. God is not forcing anyone to reach out to him even though he has built his image in us so that we have a natural inclination to spiritual things. We can ignore him if we want to. God has the power to make us reach out to him but then what does he have? He has those who reach out because they have to. No love, no desire just reaching out to God like an animal, by instinct. Not too satisfying huh? Kind of like telling your husband to tell you he loves you or having to tell him to wish you happy birthday.
2) "Find him" - as if he is hidden? I think the point here is that God is invisible and transcendent. He is not like a tree or a lake he is Spirit ( John 4:24) and "finding" him requires faith. In fact it is only by faith that we can find God. Hence the importance of scripture. God reveals himself there and in nature so that we will reach out AND "he is not far." He is findable.
So, how are we doing in seeking God?
3) Seeking God is left to us. That is our part in having relationship with him. We do not earn anything by seeking him and we cannot find him by being perfect since all have sinned (Romans 3:23). Seeking is our task and Jesus promised if we knocked he would open the door and if we would seek we would fine.

Happy hunting!
Foree

WONDERING

2009-10-21T11:19:00.000-07:00

Recently we have been through a rather serious drought. We were told to only water two days a week - in some places they were told to stop watering altogether. Then, a few weeks ago in began to rain and rain it did. For several weeks in a row it rained every day and sometimes it rained "cats and dogs." At the present my sprinkler system is off and has been off for some time. So, for awhile we were dry and now we are wet.

In times like this I wonder what God has in mind. If I were God I would make things go along at an even keel. It would rain every once in awhile and then it would be dry so that things did not get too wet.

So, different times come and go. What is God doing? Maybe, nothing, he might just be letting take its course for a time. I wonder if the dry times make us pray and he waits to answer (like in the woman at midnight in the bible) to see if we will hang in there? Maybe in the long run it is good to be too dry and too wet form time to time? Maybe God mixes it up so that we will not get too secure? Maybe the dry times just make us more thankful? Maybe there is a lot about God we do not know and that is why we "walk by faith and not by sight?" (That is 2 Cor. 5:7 by the way).

I guess my job here is to trust God in all situations, at every turn realizing He does not change and is not effected by dry and wet....Perhaps my job is not to have all the answers but to trust the one who is really in control.....Foree

Grumbling

2009-10-01T07:55:00.000-07:00

If someone asked me to make a list of sins I doubt I would include "grumbling." Maybe because I might be one? It is interesting what strikes us as unimportant. Probably we grumble along about one thing or another never really thinking about implications or even the effect it might have on others. Does not seem to be a really big thing to most of us most of the time, most likely. Then reading along in scripture you come to a passage like 1 Corinthians 10:10 and added to the list of Israel's sins (along with sexual immorality and idolatry) and there it is, "grumbling." One might even wonder why it is offensive to God. But then, it is. Given some thought it is obvious that the grumbling of Israel began the whole thing that led to the golden calf. Grumble a little, thoughts turn negative, grumble some more, thoughts crystallize, thinking changes and before you know it grumbling as developed into full grown dislike or even hate. Following that actions are changed and before long you are down on your knees praying to a calf or doing something you shouldn't and it all began with a grumble. "She sure isn't as pretty as she used to be." "He preaches to long." "Those songs sure were slow." ....grumble, grumble grumble....4E

RED LIGHTS

2009-09-28T12:10:00.001-07:00

Saturday Dana, my wife, announced I had a letter from the City of College Station. I thought maybe they were going to name a street after me. However, it was ticket for running a red light. The cameras got me. It came as quite a surprise. I was having my normal Saturday doing lawn work, reloading amo, watching a little TV and just hanging around. Then the letter came. $75 dollars later I am reminded Big Brother is watching. So, the day of the Lord will come like a red light ticket. I wonder if we will be ready when the mail is delivered? Too late then to stop. Foree

RELATIONAL THEOLOGY

2009-09-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

Relationship is the issue of scripture. Acts 17:27 tells us God made and ordered the world "so that men would seek out to him and find him..." That is our job and that reflects God's will. In the OT all the rules and procedures were not so that humanity could learn do do things just right but to form relationship with the Father (Matthew 23:23-26). Jesus tells us In Matthew 6:1-18 that "acts of righteousness" are between the Father and us, individually. As we reach out to the Father it is for the creation of spiritual connection with him. The acts we do only have meaning if that connection exists or is in process.

Relationship as foundational in the faith experience is reflected in the "greatest command" which is to love God and one another. Matthew 18:6 tells us that it cause another to sin is punishable by the millstone being tied around the neck while being cast into the sea (not much chance of reversal there!). In the same text we are told to cut off our hand if it destroys our relationship with God. Matthew 18:15 and 5:23-24 teach that relationship with each other has to precede any acts of righteousness before God.

Imagine brothers in Christ treating each other unkindly or dismissively due to disagreement. Imagine churches full of believers ignoring one another because they see things in the bible differently. Imagine fighting and arguing in a disagreeable fashion to the point that relationship is destroyed.

Jesus died for our sins. He died to establish our relationship to God. He died because he loves us. If we are worth that much to Jesus should we not be worth that to each other?

Relational theology is the theology of scripture. Relationship to God and each other (God being first) is more important that anything else. I wonder if relational theology would keep brothers closer to God and one another and perhaps stop the threats of division? Foree

Assembly (Church"

2009-09-25T11:35:00.000-07:00

"Church" as we call it, and not completely inaccurately I would add, has been the focus of so much debate and division over the years. Brethren in Christ have decimated the body via arguments and controversies regarding the structure and practice in assembly. Interestingly there is little in the New Testament which even addresses the issues we have so boldly discussed. 1 Corinthians 11-14 represents nearly the entire biblical presentation regarding what happens in assembly. Some would argue 1 Timothy 2 is about assembly but that is a debateable point. So, 1 Corinthians 11-14; 1 Timothy 2; Acts 2 and little more give us our texts for assembly.

There is no mention of a church "treasury" in the NT. Jesus did not tell us how many cups to use in communion and the arguments made from the statement "do you not have homes to eat and drink in" has been robbed of its context. Ephesians 5:19 does not address public assembly. Hebrews 10:23ff indicates brethren did meet but the admonition there is to use the time to strengthen, edify and encourage, not divide. Praise teams, who serves communion, genre of church music, proper versions, dress, video usage, meditation times, song leaders, solos, choirs, prayer leaders,meeting times (Sunday 10AM, Sunday 6PM and Wednesday are not mandated in the text of scripture) etc...are never mentioned in the Bible.

Take another look at scripture and you will note that the arguments made regarding the foregoing mentioned subjects are simply conclusions people have drawn from their use of the bible. Someone may certainly draw the conclusion that one cup and one cup only should be used in communion but that is as far as it should go. We cannot bind where God has not bound except in the matter of our own faith.

The early Christians met (Acts 2) to take the Supper, have fellowship, learn and share with one another. It was a time of mutual edification (1Cor. 14) where things were done in an "orderly" fashion so that those who were there would worship God and be built up. It is a shame that so much division and hatefulness has been the result of meetings of the church. Maybe if we all would recognize the "greatest command" and focus on its meaning (1 Cor. 13) history would not repeat itself with yet more church divisions.

Recently a church placed a cross (modern symbol of the Christian faith) at the front of its auditorium in order to encourage focus to be on Jesus and his sacrifice for our sins. Sadly, a brother said "I told them when the cross went up I would be gone." Division over a cross. Sad but that is the road many have taken. And it all centers in what people like or don't like, tradition, practice and culture. Somewhere in the mix Jesus and the Gospel are lost. Assembly time should be a time of refreshing that comes from the Lord. Too bad HE is many times overlooked. foree

Assembly

2009-09-22T10:05:00.001-07:00

Assembly time is important for the church family as a whole and for individuals. It really is not a time for close, interpersonal interaction. It is actually rather difficult to have horizontal connection in assembly. The room, in which the assembly time takes place, is usually structured so that everyone faces forward with focus on the whoever is in front, looking at the back of their neighbors head.

The video posted on the blog touches on what happens to us individually when we assemble. It all has to do with the heart or attitude we bring to that hour. The essence of assembly is thinking about our Father and our Lord. The songs, prayers, communion etc...are for us to look inside and up to the Father. It really is a time for reflection and thoughtful spiritual introspection. I am sure the fellow in the video is correct, Satan has a field day messing with us at assembly times:

Worry about how you look....worry about the details and structure of the service: is the preacher dressed "right?"....are the songs too slow or too fast or too high or too low...is the singing done well...is communion done appropriately...are the babies too loud...are there too many announcements...did I
have time to read the bulletin...and on and on it goes...Satan distracting us about the distractions and all the while the songs are sung, the head is bowed, the sermon is presented and then we leave IF WE GET OUT ON TIME...

So - where is my heart and soul at assembly time? Great question. Foree

2009-09-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

Take a look and think about this - Stay with it for a little bit and see what happens. Foree

What to Wear - 2

2009-09-10T10:38:00.000-07:00

Too often when questions arise debates or "answers" have more to do with custom, likes and dislikes than with scripture. Jesus warned about the danger of "traditions" (Matt. 15:6ff) as they "set aside" the word of God. There is this argument that people should "give God their best" - relative to dress - yet the bible never says anything like this regarding what we wear. It does not even make good sense usually we wear more casual clothing on Sunday PM.
Practice (they way we do things) or tradition become cemented in our minds. When someone asks why we do it we respond out of our practice rather than out to God's will. When we do this we "set aside" the word of God in order to be guided by what we are used to doing (tradition). Now don't get me wrong, tradition is a wonderful thing - it sure makes Christmas and Thanksgiving nice - but when it becomes some point of "truth" for us then our guide is what we do rather than what God has said. How careful we must be! Foree

What To Wear

2009-09-08T18:58:00.000-07:00

So the question comes "What to Wear," when it comes to "church." As I consider this question I am wondering just where it originates from a biblical perspective? Is it from 1 Timothy 2 where women are warned about costly dress? Or perhaps it comes from James 1 where God warns about honoring people due to their expensive clothing? In the Old Testament the priests were to wear a certain type of clothing and it was costly. But we are not priests of the old order and where in our New Testament does God say anything about "dressing for church?" It seems to me it is not addressed by Jesus or his authors. Of course "modesty" is addressed and that should always be the case.
My thought is the question of dress is a cultural one. For years it has been the custom of Christians to have some clothing called "Sunday Best." However, our culture is becoming more and more casual. So, are we to dress up or down? I am wondering what it is God looks at as we come before him on Sunday? Is He concerned with how we look (of course we are to be modest) or does he consider the heart of the matter-the heart? I wonder if the poor would be less appreciated by God than the rich (relative to dress or any other standard)? In all of the New Testament I find no instruction about dress before God. Is it wrong to dress "up?" Certainly not unless we are ostentatious or calling attention to ourselves. Is it wrong to dress "down?" certainly not unless we seek to call attention to ourselves.
Jesus teaches relative to "acts or righteousness" -Matthew 6- that we do them between us and God. Our "acts: are not to be done from humans to see but done between God and us. When we come together we are to do what edifies and builds up (1 Cor. 14). I just cannot find any biblical mandate what so ever about how we are to dress when we do the "acts." So, if we seek to be modest before Him, that should be appropriate and any standard we set from a cultural perspective is simply that, our standard. Well dressed or not, God wants something going on inside. What are your thoughts? Foree

Cabin

2009-08-31T11:54:00.001-07:00

So, I have had a few questions about the cabin in Colorado. Dana and I bought an acre of land on the Conejos (Rabbit) River in South Central Colorado in 2000. In 2001 the boys and I along with two brother-in-law and my sisters and one brother we went from a stem wall to a cabin int he dry in 13 days. As the years have gone by we have done the plumbing, kitchen cabinets, bathrooms and added a garage. The bedrooms are almost complete lacking only trim work and flooring. This cabin has been a lot of fun and has served as a meeting place for my siblings. This year we put decks on the front and back and they are really great. Up until this year we simply had risers nailed to the front and back door thresholds. So, this work in progress is 9 years old and it looks like at least three or four more years before we are finished. I am going to try and put some pictures up. The cabin is located in South Central Colorado at an elevation of 8500 feet. It is surrounded by mountains which rise to an elevation of 9000+ feet. The river runs about a hundred yards from our front door and has Rainbow, Brown and Cutthroat trout. I am blessed and always have wanted a cabin in the mountains. Foree

I Am Off

2009-07-08T07:11:00.000-07:00

I know that title may result in a "You said it man!" But what it means is I am off for a two week vacation with my family at our cabin in Colorado. This year my boys and I along with a brother -in-law and nephew and their wives are adding decks to our cabin. Maybe I can take some pictures and put them on my blog if I can figure our how. If you want to see a really great blog go to Stephen's...he is a busy boy fishing, sky diving, deep sea diving and gardening...poor guy he does not have enough fun! So see whoever is out there in two weeks. Foree

It Arrives

2009-06-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

In Ecclesiastes the writer has a chapter on time and points out there is a time for everything in this "under the sun" world. We travel through time, quite rapidly as we look back, doing the things we need to do and some things we could DO without. Important events come and go like graduation, marriage, anniversaries, birthdays and finally death. It all goes by and then THE MOMENT arrives when "our time comes" and we are done. No longer here. No more moments, no more events, no more things we do...the great equalizer visits all of us and the grave marker marks us.

Barbara Jackson
A fine, full of faith lady, who lived her life for her family
and for the Lord had her moment yesterday.
Now I look back at her life, the one I knew,
and realize what her life was about.
It was about this moment.

Her moment arrived and she was ready.
It reminds me that IT will ARRIVE.

Psalm 20 - For Others

2009-06-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

Intercessory prayer can have great benefit for others as they face the eventualities of life...it is left to our imagination all that can and does happen to people in different stages of life. So Psalm 20 would be a great passage to read as we consider entering the throne room on behalf of another...
"May the Lord answer you when you are in distress...
May he send you help from the sanctuary...
May he remember all your sacrifices...
May he give you the desires of your heart...
WE WILL SHOUT FOR JOY WHEN YOU ARE VICTORIOUS."
The Psalmist hopes from protection, support, acceptance and success as God listens to the prayers for self and others. "We trust in the name of the Lord" (v7). God will answer when we call. Give it a try. Foree

Psalm 85 Just Think What He Has Done

2009-06-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

The Psalmists relived their journey with God as they wrote their praise or question or commentary. Jewish people of faith who had this long history with Jehovah. Their relationship with God had to do with their faith and their land. They knew HE was theirs. So when they wrote their songs they remembered all He had done. As you read Psalm 85 take a look back over your life (as if it is God's land)...the ups and downs...times when you were strong as horseradish (as per Bob D.) and times when you were weak as milk...moments of joy and sadness...and the Father was always there...So the Psalmist remembers...note the words which marked the work of God in this singers life.......favor...restored...forgave...covered....put away displeasure...revive...unfailing love...peace...salvation...faithfulness....give what is good...prepares...these are our remembrances. The Father has always been there doing his good things and holding back his anger when we deserved for him to be mad. What a wonderful Father he is....we "rejoice"-v6. What would your words be? Foree

Psalm 18:1-19 Take a Moment

2009-06-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

Take a moment and read Psalm 18:1-19. Now there are some things to remember: Psalms are poetry - Hebrew poetry; some of the metaphors are new to us like "horn" and "stronghold" but you can tell what they mean - God is hero, conqueror, dependable. Remember this is POETRY not history or story...read it like a Hallmark card. Too much analyzing spoils the effect. Remember to IMAGINE while the verses roll by. See the pictures in your heart and mind. Catch the spirit of the words like a poem in a card from a friend.

This Psalm is about God as SAVIOR. His beloved is in dire need ("the cords of death entangled me"). The Savior's anger is against those who punish his loved one. So, God storms out of heaven guns a blazing. He rides on the wind to rescue and save. He is like a mother saving her child from those who would destroy and kill. The love, power and gentleness of God are apparent. The Psalm reminds us that in our trouble God is aware and responsive. Finishing verse 19 leaves a picture of comfort, peace and salvation. God is always ready when trouble comes...He loves us so...(John 3:16). Foree

1 Cor. 1:10 - "Speak the same thing..."

2009-06-08T11:59:00.000-07:00

So one reads 1 Corinthians 1:10 and comes away teaching that the family of God must be of the same "mind and judgment" on everything and the 'fun" begins. One brother believes Praise Teams are a sin...another that you cannot support orphan homes with "church money." Still another sister thinks the Spirit dwells only through the word while her husband believes in personal indwelling. The exchange of ideas and breadth of beliefs are myriad. Each believer believing their perspective is correct. In time, often, since the "same mind and judgment" cannot be found division occurs, communication stops and fellowship is withdrawn. Is that what Paul had in mind in the passage cited?

Read the passage again but do not take 1:10 out of context. Avoid turning it into a proof text. After Paul makes the comment, inspired by the Spirit I might add, he asks some questions: "Is CHRIST divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? What is his point. the questions points all the divided brothers right back to Christ. Interestingly they were all baptized into the name of the one who died on the cross for them - Jesus Christ. He is the one about whom they are to speak the same thing and have the same judgment. He is the one in whom they put their trust. He is the one they hear. If we believers agree on Christ unity exists. Then we follow Paul's advice from 1 Cor. 8 when we still disagree on details but the basis for our unity remains intact. Good news again.!

It Is A WONDER

2009-05-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

So give some thought to the work of God..."let there be light"..."From one man God made all men everywhere"..."To him who is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine..." "It is God who is at work in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" [you can search around to find those verses in your bible]. God, the creator and the one who sustains everything dwells is "light unapproachable"and is in need of nothing from me. This magnificent benefactor of the human race loved enough to give his only son.................................for me. It is a wonder I am included. After all the work done by the Father to bring Jesus (the administration of his grace) at one point it all fell on me. This slight individual, one among many who have lived and died and I get to be a part. God's love is grand enough to cover the world and focused enough to be pointed in my direction. God actually knows who I am and cares for me individually. To the Father I am not just another but I am his son and heir..... Right now he knows where I am, what I am doing and the condition of my heart. It is a WONDER....he knows who I am...thanks be to God for this indescribable gift. And you are HIS too, so that makes us one.

Brotherhood

2009-05-06T13:52:00.000-07:00

My brother's name is Walter. HE is my brother because he was born of my Mom and Dad. We are caring the exact same DNA - we found this out when I gave him a kidney - so are brothers. So our brotherhood was established regardless of what we did.

People who confess the name of Jesus and are dead to themselves via immersion have been made one as brothers in Jesus Christ. It is because of him, himself that things which hold people apart are gone..due to Jesus unity exists. Like brothers by blood believers are brothers because of the blood of Christ. The requirement for this brotherhood is faith in Jesus as God's sin offering. So when one is immersed in Jesus' name he is in the family of God.

If we could embrace this foundation - being Jesus himself- we would be embracing unity IN CHRIST. Inside that oneness there would be differences in maturity of faith, in personal applications of God's will, in points of opinion etc...but unity would exist...how great is that! Foree

Christ

2009-05-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

Christ means "anointed one." The Old Testament prophets longed to know what it was that God was doing "in them" 1 Peter 1:10-12. God's work to bring Christ was called a "mystery" by Paul (Ephesians 1:9-10). The Father's "Anointed One" was His choice and His choice alone. Jesus' arrival was the final act of the Father in His pursuit of his beloved (John 3:16). Jesus was/is the fullness of the divine (Colossians 1:19). He was the "word" becoming flesh (John 1:1-4,18). If you want to know what the Father had in mind when he made the world (through Jesus) then take a look at Christ. He is the focus of everything including our faith.
Faithfulness means being full of faith in Christ. Obviously the faithful will hear Jesus and defer to him relative to the activities of their lives-they will seek to obey him in all things (Matthew 28:20). The will of Christ is supreme because He is supreme, the will of the Father in the flesh, the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15). It is Jesus who holds everything together (Col. 1:17). HE is the head of the assembly [church] (Col. 1:18). HE is the fulfillment of the law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms (Matthew 5:17-20; Luke 24:44). Christ, the center, the focus, the all in all, the one in whom we place our faith. Without him we are nothing. As Jesus says, I AM...
If the church which belongs to Christ is ever going to be faithful it must, through each member, remember what the Father has done. It must focus on the cross, the empty tomb and the Man who made that journey. Nothing, nothing is more important than faith in Jesus, nothing. If any belief, any practice, any opinion, any perspective ever takes the focus off of Jesus, the Anointed One, then all is lost.
If brothers in blood ever seek to unite on anything other than Christ himself then unity will be never be found. If peace could be found between Jews and Gentiles when they each believed in Jesus (Ephesians 2:11-22) then peace can be found between all persons who place their faith IN HIM (Paul's oft used expression). Foree

Another One

2009-04-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

It happens way to often...someone has a disagreement with a brother and decides that the issue, if not resolved, must result in separation. Several years ago a church began using an "affirmation" step in their elder selection process. The "affirmation" step apparently is applied in different ways by different brethren. First two brothers began debating the "issue" each of them coming from different points of view. After some discussion (and these brothers were both well trained, honest, capable preachers) the two could not come to consensus on this "affirmation" aspect of elder selection. So what is the solution? Divide. Brothers brought together in the blood of Jesus, immersed in his name, disagree over a facet of process men created and use to select elders. Now the brothers no longer give support, emotional or otherwise, to one another. One even calls his "use to be" brother a false teacher. So now once again a new church begins or established ones cannot have anything to do with one another...all in the name of truth. This is truth about something the bible does not include...the manner or methodology of appointing elders (unless you subscribe to Paul's way told to Timothy). So, God chooses not to explain the procedure of selecting elders and two brothers divide over a manner of doing it some other brother dreams up...in the process the blood of Christ is forgotten, brotherhood is torn, feelings are hurt and on and on it goes...so the "issue" becomes more important than Christ...and Christ did not even mention the issue in the first place. So here is ANOTHER ONE, another reason to divide..."affirmation".....when will it end? Foree

Finding Churches

2009-04-22T04:20:00.000-07:00

If one reads the NT carefully you will find that the NT churches are much like churches today. They are filled with people...people who like us... are not complete. The disciples of the NT were unfinished. They were people in progress involved in a dynamic relationship with Jesus as Lord. As you read the Epistles you find churches dealing with the sins of her members, congregations suffering from periods of discontent and churches dealing with doctrinal questions.
Every one of the NT books have one continuing theme - keep your eye on Jesus. The inspired authors of these books, guided by God's Spirit, sought to return the focus of the members back to the Lord. If we stay focused on people, their view points and their weaknesses we will be easily discouraged. People have "all sinned" (Rom. 3:23) and if anyone claims to have no sin they are a liar (1 John 1:8,10). So the writers of the Epistles just kept tuning us back the the Lord, the Father and the Spirit.
Looking for a church without stain is like looking for a person without sin and will finally push a person to church after church bent on a path of ultimate discouragement. Keeping our eyes on the Lord and remembering we are not perfect either is the best course. Obviously we all have to keep trying, communicating...letting iron sharpen iron...so that we will grow and become more like Christ. What if Christ gave up on us? Give the church a little grace, after all Christ has given us that......hasn't he? Foree

Reminded

2009-04-15T12:33:00.000-07:00

Recently our elders approved and addition to our auditorium. It is a physical addition which anyone who attends our assembly time would see. It is, like most anything, controversial to someone...herein lies the difficulty...I suppose that we all know that a gathering of 3 or more people, or maybe two or more people, brings with it different likes, dislikes, points of view, perspectives, beliefs etc...So what do we do as people of God who have to handle situations where differences exist? How do churches live together when members have really different points of view (just like the Christians in the bible churches by the way)? Well, two things: 1) Ephesians 2:14 says in the context of Jew/Gentile believers "He himself is our peace." That is, both Jew and Gentile alike have come to Christ Jesus. With all eyes on him there is peace. When the focus is on Him - the person of Jesus - there is peace. Paul says in 1 Corinthians that we are one because we eat of one "loaf" (10:17). We are ONE because of Jesus - we are family -co-laborers-co-workers...because of our belief and obedience to Him. 2) Ephesians 4:1-2 call us to humility, gentleness, patience and forbearance in love. Relationship words all. Knowing we are different God has given us two things: 1)Jesus and 2) The Spirit of kindness (watch his fruit Gal. 5:22). If we can all acknowledge Jesus and treat each other with the fruit of the Spirit we should be fine. This reminds me of how HE calls and wants me to be. Foree

Getting the Picture

2009-04-14T07:05:00.000-07:00

Jesus did it to Peter (Mark 8:33). Strong words needed for someone Jesus loved. Were Jesus' words loving, kind, patient, considerate of Peter's feelings??? At this point in time Jesus was letting his followers in on a very important aspect of their "followship" ( I made up that word)...Jesus was teaching them that a time would come when he would be gone. So, when Peter began to "rebuke him" Jesus said what he needed to say. It was the right thing to do. Peter HAD to get the picture and understand what Jesus' work here was really about.
Sometimes it is necessary for strong words to be spoken. These words are not un-Christian or even unkind they are what the need to be. Sometimes we need to know, we need to think, we need to get the picture and we can't do unless someone says what they NEED to say. Being "nice" is not always helpful or even truthful. I am sure Peter was a little hurt and it may have even been awhile before he got over this moment. But it all had to happen. Strong words sometimes are the best policy. Foree

Have a Read

2009-04-02T12:16:00.000-07:00

Take a few minutes and read 2 Samuel 13-19:8 - well, it will take more than a few minutes. As you read the account of Absalom's conspiratorial attempt at taking the God given throne of David away (from his father no less) take mental notes about the human activity. By human activity I mean how those human beings operated...they were politically motivated, self serving, "get ahead at any cost" people. Absalom murdered his brother Amnon because he (Amnon) raped THEIR sister Tamar. Joab, David's "general" was taken out of that post by the King (his position was awarded to Amasa [19:13] and then Joab acted like his "brother" and killed him [20"9-10] in order to get his position back. Shemei (relative to Saul and still mad he was not king) spat, kicked dirt and threw rocks at David and his entorage as they passed through his area THEN after David beat Absolam he comes crawling back for forgiveness [19:18ff]. Ahithophel, David's adviser leaves David for Absalam and the kills himself when Absalam quits taking his advice (David had asked God to thwart his wisdom). On and on it goes. People acting just like people, wanting their way, desiring to be popular or well known - lying, cheating, back biting etc...so that their agenda would win out...THROUGH IT ALL God's will is carried out...God's mind does not change...and all the shenanigans in the world fail to foil the will of God. When will we learn to have faith in God and quit trying to manipulate events for the purpose of fulfilling our own personal agendas??? Lesson learned - I hope - foree (Soon a look at David)

Now What?

2009-03-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my wife was robbed while coming out of grocery store. She was unloading her groceries from her basket into the car and another car pulled up slowly and close. Dana moved her basket a little and an arm stuck out of her car, grabbed her purse and sped off. The police came and took Dana's statement - got the license number from Dana - and then nothing came of it. Three weeks later the thief was arrested in another town while doing the same thing. The lady was brought back to College Station later for trial. While in jail awaiting her outcome this lady was baptized into Christ by a man who attends our congregation....Now What? The challenge is to see this woman in a new light - she is now a sister in Christ - so what about forgiveness from the Groves? God has made her right with himself so now she is right with us. Both glorious and challenging. What God has done for us he has done for another. Just how great is that!

EXACTLY CONTINUED

2009-03-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

Folks - there is something wrong with my blog cite - sometimes I cannot post and the last time it only posted part of my blog - the end of EXACTLY is that WHEW! we do not have to be exact - our job is to trust in God and live like the tells us to live - I hope this last part makes it - wish me luck Foree

EXACTLY!

2009-03-24T08:05:00.000-07:00

So just how right do we have to get it to be right with God? There is bible study and interpretation, prayer (unceasing), communion (in the right manner), singing (from the heart not just the memory), church attendance (mandatory if the elders demand), benevolence (even when we think people are just taking advantage), whew! Then there is the "Greatest Command" and added to that is that we have to love even our enemies - and if we only love those who love us we have not accomplished anything - everyone does that! THEN there is the moral demand of God "be perfect as I am perfect" and beyond that is the heart matter. It is not enough in the NT just to commit adultery you cannot even lust or take a second look (and the way women dress that is real hard not to do...). What about evangelism - remember the sermon "you cannot go to heaven alone" and the song "You Never Mentioned Him To Me?" And what about if you have committed the BIG sins: adultery, divorce,

Here Again

2009-03-17T05:54:00.000-07:00

This blogging remind me of my walk with God. I sense the need to take a moment and write - for my own good and remembrance. Yet - the days go by and being busy with life taking the time becomes a question of taking the time to do it...then I return and write again...and when I do I am benefited...
God is present, waiting, hoping, providing for our time with him. He watches us do our things in this life he gave us...he waits...we continue on, consumed with many good things...the Father waits...then at some moment we return perhaps in prayer or reading or a moment in church as if to say "I'M BACK!...those are the moments when God is right there- open arms - warm heart - willing - able - ready....
I am so happy to have Him, my father, "Abba" - he is patient and I am glad - Foree

SING IT

2009-02-24T12:54:00.000-08:00

Some of my most vivid memories are of songs and singers. At home we would gather with our family or family and friends - usually after a meal - and we would sing. Our church had picnics in the mountains (I was raised in northern New Mexico) and after the burgers were eaten we would sing. At church camp we sang. Youth devotionals included singing. "Singing" has a ring when you say it. The word itself is melodious. The writers of songs are not inspired but their words put to music are often as close to the inspired message as one can get.
Take a moment and remember a song - When Peace Like A River - or Listen To My Heart - whatver song your might choose and start singing. As you sing think and feel the message the words deliver and consider how the music itself prompts relfection and emotion, feeling and thought. It is an amazing thing TO SING. As Darryl Tippen wrote in THAT'S WHY WE SING; Sing, Sing, Sing - it is an amazing moment which thrills the soul and transports us right into the heavenly throne room. Give it a try and watch the blues or the worries or the dread mealt away - Sing And Be Happy - sing and the happiness comes. Foree

Wine

2009-02-23T12:12:00.000-08:00

I am not sure about the making of wine and just what all goes into the process. I am sure that I have some doubts about people who say "I can taste the berry" or "this is kind of frutty" or "musky" etc... But I just do not know about the making...I know it does not happen by itself. Grape juice left in a bottle will not end up a fine Merlot with lots of "body." Wine has to be made - that is why Jesus' miracle in John 2 was a miracle...
Relationships, like wine, have to be made. Men and women cannot just fall into marriage - it has to be done, made, produced. Friendship does not work well when the relationship is taken for granted...Spirituality, relationship with God, is a process, begun like marriage with a commitment, but constructed by a way of life. Faith begins very simply, it is belief in God. As time goes by and belief deepens through experience, prayer, trial and personal encounter with God's Spirit it is deepened and this trusting, dependant relationship emerges. So, life is a dynamic encounter with God in which personal commitment crosses with God's care. The result is a fine, full bodied, tasty and enjoyable experience. Like wine, spirituality is made....it comes out of process and it is fine.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN?

2009-02-19T07:36:00.001-08:00

What would happen if we opened up to God with no , I mean no reservations?
When I found Dana she was IT! It did not matter we only had a few dates over a few months period of time. It did not matter my folks were scared because she came out of the blue. It did not matter I had no money for a ring or that everything was not lined up just right....it did not matter that our engagement was not long enough...she was it and that was that....it was a love struck young man knowing he found her and nothing else mattered - no reason in the world would ahve kept me away...this was IT! I did not wonder how I knew - I did not seek advice - I did not
What if we took God like that...no "ifs" "ands" "buts" just okay here I am, take me, change me, guide me, use me....I am here to do your will O God.....
What a life we would have...just open up to God without reservation and trust him to do with us what he wills...what a life we would have...

TIME

2009-02-12T07:07:00.001-08:00

In 1Samuel, King Saul lost his throne because he failed to destroy all the Amaliktes. Shortly afterward David was anointed king, however, it is not until 2 Samuel 5 (many years later) that David actually took the throne. During his time of waiting all kinds of terrible things took place: Saul tried to kill David, Johnathan and David formed an alliance to protect David from Saul, Abner, Saul's "General" fought against David after Saul's death, David's own son Absolom campaigned against his Father....there were wars and killings and basically a civil war among the Israelites. Then when the wars were over David took the throne.
Now why did God allow all of that mayhem instead of just crowning David and have it finished? Why the wait for David?
Those questions can only be answered by God. God does things in his own time and our job is to trust Him even if we do not know why things happen the way they do. God's will, will be done. Our job is to trust him no matter what. TIME is nothing to God. It is everything to us. No matter how slowly time goes by, and no matter what happens, God is to be trusted. Our job is to trust, not to reason why. The only thing that matters is what God wills and what God thinks.

ALL OF YOU...

2009-01-30T06:56:00.000-08:00

God wants all of us...get a concordance and look up eyes and ears, minds, body, soul, spirit and heart. In various pssages in different contexts God asks for eyes that are not blind (John 9), hearts that are open and honest not hard and stubborn and calloused....he wants ears that can hear (Mark 4; Luke 18)...all so that the can reign in us...
There are many things that blind us or make us hard of hearing. It sure is easy to let the spirit wander and the heart focus on things we may like or things which make us feel good...God wants all of us...that is Lordship...He wants us to come to him open, vulnerable...like children...ready to experience and learn and try...
You know that is no so hard when you think about it...opening up and letting God in...humbly giving him our all...then he can work....

Matthew 7:1-5

2009-01-15T11:36:00.000-08:00

Another penetrating thought from the Master. Jesus knew human kind all too well. Ever heard someone say "I have a sense about people....," "I can read people pretty well." My thought is most of those people whom were sensed or read never had a chance to tell you what they were thinking at the time...How easy it is to think we know the motivation of another or know why they think they way they think or do what they do. Husbands and wives never know one another well enough to be on point about why something is said or done.
What about error? Why do people believe some of the things they believe? " I know why, they are dishonest or perhaps a little stubborn or they just will not listen to what is right." Talk about arrogance! But how would one know if a person who just made the last statement was arrogant?
Only ONE person knows the heart, motivation and desire of another (unless it is spelled out). We humans have no telepathy which allows us to interpret the inside of another. Oh we can see when an action is wrong or when a stated belief is out of line with God's will. But looking beneath that, beyond the words into the spirit and mind belongs only to God. Jesus reminds us in the passage above to leave judgment to God. Verse 6 tells us to be aware of people who reject God's will (don't give pigs pearls) but we must never make the mistake of going beyond that and thinking we can sense anothers heart, motivation or spirit. What a relief...I do not have to answer for anyone except myself. How liberating not to have to decide about your inner workings. We leave that to the all knowing Father. Foree

Matthew 5:43-48 WHEW!

2009-01-14T11:38:00.000-08:00

Before you read the text above take a second and remind yourself about the "GREATEST COMMAND." You know what it is! Now take another trip through the passage in the title. That really lets us know what love is. It is remarkable to me that God knows His creation so well. We have a tendency to love those with whom we agree, and really feel connected to people who think like we think or make decisions similar to our own. If the color is right and the politics are correct - If agreement comes easily and If people give us as much grace as we give ourselves....If no one cuts us off and on and on it goes....Enemies! We do not speak to them, have them over, give them a gift or a phone call...we even allow ourselves the privilege of speaking against them with someone we "love." Through it all Jesus says if we love those who love us SO WHAT! Everyone does that..even thieves have honor among themselves....WHEW I would have to be reborn to love my enemies...and that is the idea. May God create us into what HE wants us to be. foree

Matthew 5:37!

2009-01-13T11:53:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of really heavy commands from Jesus. If you call someone a fool you are in danger of hell fire (Matt. 5:22). If you only love people who love you, you have not accomplished anything (5:47). You cannot even lust let alone commit fornication (5:28) and you should cut your hand off if it causes you to sin. Then there is 5:37 - "let your 'yes' be yes and your 'no,' no." Keep your word Jesus says!
If you sign a contract - keep it! If you make an appointment - show up! If you tell someone you will help them move - do it! If you promise at the altar to be there till you die - hang around! Promises are made, agreements are entered and vows are taken. Sadly not keeping one's word does not seem as grave as adultery or being unloving. Oh well, I changed my mind, my heart is not in it, it is monetarily beneficial to do something different. Another road is taken, a different decision made and a word is broken. No big deal. Except to Jesus who believed your word should be your bond. Foree

People

2008-12-21T15:34:00.001-08:00

You know it does not take long to find out Paul is right (Romans 3) "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." You get married and soon enough your spouse finds out you are not perfect. Friends have feuds and disagreements too. Even places like church where you expect to find the very best people have problems. If you read scripture thoughtfully you will notice that all of the NT letters were written to Christians in churches who needed instruction, admonition, edification, correction and discipline because THEY HAD NOT GOTTEN IT RIGHT.
So what shall we do with all this imperfection running loose? Jesus says to treat others as you would be treated - love your neighbor as yourself. A little reflection tells me I do not reject myself because of my failure. Honestly I give myself leeway because I know my heart, my motives, my intentions. So, I give myself a break. God calls it grace and he has poured it out abundantly on all of us. Maybe, just maybe all those imperfect people need a little grace from me....I wonder how that would work? Foree

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2008-12-18T11:27:00.000-08:00

Christmas has always been a real special time for me. It meant my sisters and brothers, whom are mostly older than me by several years, would come home for the holidays. It meant the bay window in our house in Raton would have a decorated tree in it which we cut down ourselves(the decorating it was always a special event). We hung our stokings on little red chairs because we had no fire place. It meant a very difficult nights sleep for a young boy who had visions of Christmas morning and what it might bring. It meant thinking about how the siblings would feel as they opened the gift you bought especially for them. It meant another turkey dinner with Mom's dressing, home made yeast rolls, wonderful fruit salad and Grandma Foree's creamed corn (nothing like it in the world). Christmas afternoon was a time for shooting. Dad would gather up the guns and off we would go to the old sawmill and shoot cans and paper targets. We played "42" and Monopoly and through it all we ate really well made at home pie: apple, pumpkin, cherry all with whipped cream. Often we would get out the song books and sing away the evening. In Raton we usually had a white Christmas and that made it all the better.
Christmas was a gathering of family and friends to celebrate togetherness. It was/is a wonderful time. I hope it is a great one for all of you. Foree

2008-12-09T06:50:00.000-08:00

On the left is the Whitetail taken on the same hunt as the Mule deer. We (my hunting buddy and I) were riding a 4 wheeler in some rolling, thickly covered, hills and drove upon this deer while he was laying in a bush. His head was the only thing we could see. He jumped and ran and my buddy and I were frantically trying to get off the wheeler and take a shot. I happen to get one off and three shots later he was down- 4:30 in the afternoon. Note, if you can see it, the drop tine over the right eye - this is a special gift for a hunter. The rifle is Ruger M77, 7MM caliber with the Nikon scope. The Mule deer in the other picture here has a 24in spread. This was one of the best hunts I have been able to take. Enjoy - Foree

Mule Deer?

2008-12-09T06:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of my "Mule" deer. It is a little hard to tell from the picture but this Muley has a Whitetail rack. He is a long eared, gray bodied, white caboosed normal Muley except for his rack. Right before he was down he was walking parallel to me 175 yards away and I thought then he must be a Whitetail. But after a closer inspection he was both. Taken with the Ruger M77 in 270 cal - Leopold VXII scope. I was hunting on a ranch NW of Amarillo with a good friend who was friendly enough to invite me. I hope you enjoy looking as much as I did. I saw this buck jump the fence on the horizon (5oo yards away) at 7AM. It took him two hours to get within range because he laid down twice and was content to rest for an hour each time. He was coming from a pivot where he had been eating alfalfa. Foree

Church

2008-12-03T16:40:00.000-08:00

From the very beginning (Acts 2:46ff) "church" was a gathering of believers who had left whatever to be joined to Christ and depended on their relationships with other Christians for spiritual sustenance.They studied, prayed, took communion and shared (had fellowship). Theidea that there was some rule about attendance was most likely foreign to them. Being together was a matter of need, of necessity. To have to have a verse which constrained their attendance probably would have been insulting. I would suggest that church attendance done out of other promptings than necessity some
how have lost true significance. Mandatory attendance demanded by
and elder, done under compulsion, would have been as foreign to them as a
father demanding children to attend the Christmas tree gathering. Odd
at least, it would seem, who wouldn't want to go? Maybe, if attending
the assembly has become a burden we should look deep inside and ask
why? Perhaps there is no "felt need" and that may say a lot.Foree

Christmas

2008-12-02T06:49:00.002-08:00

The penetrating effect of Jesus on our world is amazing. You know
almost every country has some form of Christmas celebration. They do
different things; Uruguay, SA has a Judas doll they kick around and
Kings Day when they give gifts...search the web and you will find
numerous examples of Christmas celebration...Jesus came into our world
(Galatians 4:4) at just the right time. The Father planned it...Jesus'life
was simple, he was not rich, he died a victim's death and was
dishonored by the powers of the world. You would think a person like
that would go down in infamy...yet here we are all these years later
seeing his effect upon the world...Of course He wanted more from people
than X-Mas but think about it...His coming sparked a worldwide holiday that has lived for centuries...that should tell us something....Foree

2008-12-02T06:49:00.001-08:00

I'M Off

2008-11-19T12:30:00.000-08:00

Friday I leave for a three day "Muley" hunt Northwest of Amarillo. This is a special hunt onprivate land by invitation. So Off I go...have fun! Foree

MATTHEW 23:37-39

2008-11-13T11:23:00.000-08:00

The passage in the title is an interesting read. It says God wanted to
gather the Jews to himself like a "hen gathers her chicks." So why did
He not do it? It it was His will to gather why did the "chicks" stay
scattered? Thepassage says because they "were not willing." The key word
here is "willing." In God's design he gave them a "will." Apparently
the WILL was not going to be ignored by God. God designs WILL into His
world and then has to honor it.
This means it matters what you and I will to do. If we will to walk away from God, God has to honor it because that is how He set it up. God says to us "your will be done!"

Notice in the passage Jesus is lamenting that fact that Israel chose to
stay away. He wept over Jerusalem - it was a sad moment. Desolation is
no easy thing.
So we should be very careful how we live...God HAS to honor when we WILL Him away.
Foree

Wonderful Things

2008-11-11T12:21:00.000-08:00

Sunday I presented a lesson on Jesus - favorite subject of course - and one of the points was a pass through Luke 7 - the "Sinful Woman." She was so taken by her own sin that she crashed a party at a Pharisee's house - found Jesus - knelt behind him, wet his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. She did not care where she was, how she looked, what others thought - she needed Jesus, found him and responded with a very tender heart full of need...
Monday AM a man called, in tears, hardly able to speak touched by the lesson of Jesus from Luke 7. His heart, soft like hers, turned to the Lord seeking redemption, forgiveness, sancitfication, healing. A borken heart looking for someone to help it mend. The journey of healing begins with NEED.
Like the "sinful" woman (aren't we all?)this brother turned to Jesus. Oh how God could see that kind of heart in all of us...it is like the heart of a child...Jesus said something about that a couple of times....food for thought...Foree

ALWAYS AT WORK

2008-10-31T06:52:00.000-07:00

Ephesians chapters 1 & 3 talk about the "administration of God's grace." God was working with his eye on Christ's coming long before anyone knew exactly what he was doing. When the prophets talked about the "coming" age they knew it would come and be something grand but they had no idea about Jesus until he got here. Later, God via the Spirit would tell everyone what HE had been doing all this time...God was working - doing his thing...no matter what else was going on...
So we muddle along doing our thing, sometimes well sometimes badly but ALWAYS with a bit of wonder about what the Father is doing - we see bad economic times - we deal with some very difficult event which we have to endure - kids with whom we cannot connect - leaders we do not understand - elections we dread - health that goes south - and on and on it goes....
Well, life is like that - full of wonder - wonder when it is great and wondering how it can get better when it is bad...all the time God is doing his thing....when it is all said and done God is at work - it will all work out for those in Christ...just lean back and enjoy - keep at it - and know HE IS AT WORK...Foree

HARDEST THING

2008-10-29T05:24:00.000-07:00

The hardest thing with God is the only thing he asks of us. What he asks is that we do not have a hard heart. If God controlled hearts then everyone would believe. God would simply soften everyone up and his wish would be fulfilled, "that all men be saved." But this is our task...
Feelings are hurt and someone apologizes...it is easier to hold a grudge we think..heart remains hard. Mispoken words...unkind thoughts shared...sins committed...lies told....immorality engaged....on and on it goes...they pile up after while dragging is down like a sack full of rocks....Pride, masculinity or femininity, peer pressure whatever keeps us from looking inside and acknowledging sin... that is without doubt the most difficult thing to do...and that is ALL God demands of us, to take a long look inside and see what we really think of him...
In Acts 2:37 the people were "cut to the heart" the rest follows naturally...keeping the heart soft...the hardest thing to do...Foree

God Watching...

2008-10-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

Things I ponder...Have you ever thought what it is like for another person to look at you? Sometimes I watch Dana (not an unplesant thing by the way) and wonder what it is like seeing the world from inside her...The other day I drove by a man holding a sign "work for food" and wondered what he saw as I drove by....what about the billions of people around the world...people who voted for McCain or Obama....what about tatooed people...and women of the night with the men who frequent them....Donald Trump is somewhere doing something today...men and women right now in fear for their lives in Afganistan...some young girl just had an abortion...another gave birth to a first child or third or fifth...some happy person just becoming a grand parent...someone happy someone sad someone just right...rich, poor, healthy, sick, dead, alive, hungry full...God sees it all and the ONLY THING THAT IS SIGNIFICANT TO GOD IS WHERE WE ARE WITH HIM within...boil it all down and now we know...

God is Sooooo Good

2008-10-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

So we take a look at our lives full of things, nice things, many things....for me I wonder what it will be like to retire...an event not even considered in most modern cultures. God has blessed us soooooo....
We need healing and we pray and health returns and God is soooooooo good....
Are wealth, health and abundance really blessings from God? If so, what about poverty....is God absent? In modern, affluent states it is easy to thank God for the "blessings." And if health returns what about those times people die..... Then there are the prayers at sporting events...a pointed finger UP when a TD is made...what about the guys who lose????
Should we rest our view of God on how much we have and if he says "yes" to our specific requests? God is God and full of blessings no matter what physical or financial state we happen to be in at the moment. "Blessedness" is about the heart and soul (Matt. 5:1-12). WE might do well not to let ourselves swell with thanksgiving over abundance and health as "blessings from such a good God" since those two states may not mean a thing relative to our walk with God. God's blessings have to do with Christ, the Holy Spirit and the soul of mankind.....

8 Blue Eyes

2008-10-21T08:52:00.000-07:00

Four or five years ago it happened in a Suburban I was driving. I pulled into a MacDonalds on a whim. I thought the guys with me would like it. I hadn't pre-announced
the decision, I just did it. As I pulled in I looked in my rear view
mirror and what I saw were 8 blues eyes staring right back at me full
of hope, promise, excitement, surprise...4 grandsons all expecting more
driving, more sitting, more waiting and all of a sudden - MACDONALDS -
KIDS MEALS - PLAY GROUND - SPRITE - COKE - APPLE PIES - ICE CREAM-
FRENCH FRIES....they knew that with grandpa the emphasis (this moment)
would not be bad ingredients - too much sugar - bone killing
carbonation - fear of hyper activity - grease and quick death - BLUE
EYES said it all - "WE ARE EXPECTING THE BEST!" They got it...
Walk by faith - set eyes on Christ - expect the best - God is in charge!

HORSE Shoes

2008-10-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

A black smith works on a horse shoe and has it red hot. He lays it on a metal shelf to cool. A man comes in looking at all of the black smith's creations. He checks them out, picks them up, looks them over and moves from one to another until he gets to the new horse shoe. He picks it up drops it real quickly and shoves his hand in his pocket. The black smith says "Hot isn't it?" The man replies "No, it just does not take me long to look at a horse shoe."
Two things: 1) We do not often take much time for introspection and personal inspection. Communion does not take us long to finish. We might look inside like we are holding a hot horse shoe. Words to songs are sung but not digested. Sermons are heard with the ears but not with the heart. Bible reading is to be done, but not taken personally. 2) If we do see something in ourselves or our actions we might not consider it too long. Looking inside is one thing taking a long look at that which we discover is another.
The man just could not admit he had burned himself. "Unless you repent you will perish."
Foree

Wouldn't It Be Nice

2008-10-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone thought like me? Every opinion would be just like mine. There would be no doctrinal discussions because I would only have to give explanations. People would simply think the same way and that would be that.
As it is there are as many opinions or points of view as there are people. Pick any subject........deer hunting.....medicine.....wealth.....politics.... and with more than one person in the room perspectives are going to differ. Each individual wonders how in the world "they could think like that."
Then there is the fact that not many people think they are wrong. So everyone has a viewpoint but how many of them think their idea is erroneous? Usually, outside of being devil's advocate, we argue, discuss and debate because we think we are correct.
How in the world do you get people like that together? There is usually some agreement but there is always disagreement.
Jesus enters a world divided between Jew/Gentile/Samaritan and brings them together. The key - HIM - Paul writes "He HIMSELF is our piece" (Eph. 2:14). Not our thoughts about HIM or our interpretation of what HE taught or our ability to live up to HIS standards. IT is HE, HIMSELF. Foree

MOMENT

2008-10-12T15:33:00.000-07:00

It only takes a moment to die...an extended period of difficulty may precede death but it just takes a second for life to end. It is kind of a disturbing thought. Three people whom I knew well and loved took that final step in the last five days. All of a sudden they were gone from this world. Two husbands and one wife said goodbye to partners who had been with them for a combined total of ONE HUNDRED FORTY TWO YEARS...a lot of things passed by in those years, marriage, children, grandchildren, great grand children, jobs, cities they lived in, friends, vacations, Christmas, birthdays days of joy and days of sadness, all leaving memories and marks on the soul. Then in a moment, in a few seconds, they are gone never to be heard or seen again in this life.
So finally what can be said? Only one person helps when the inevitable takes place and his name is Jesus. If we lose him here we will not have him when we are done here. It makes Paul's words even more probing..."Be very careful then how you live, not as unwise but as wise making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil..." Maybe we should take a moment and think about our moment to come...Foree

REALITY

2008-10-06T12:13:00.000-07:00

There is something startling about death. In 11th grade I was walking on the sidewalk to start my day at Manzano High in Albuquerque. I was walking and talking with friends, books in arm, having a great time.....I walked right into a no parking pole...I fell down, books went flying, glasses fell off...everyone laughed...
We walk along in life, having the time of our life, or maybe just muddling through...like a surprise in the night without warning (sometimes) death of another comes our way. The thought is not morbid or cynical it is just reality. Then, death, for some moments or maybe even days, reminds us of our own temporary spot in this world. We think about mortality, the suddenness of it all and maybe even make some resolutions....then the moment is past.
When I walked into the pole I got up, straightened up and on I went. Same with death. It comes to someone we know or love and we are reminded...then a few days later we are back walking along not giving it another thought...our mistake. God sent Jesus so we would/could be ready. We just have to sure we know what reality really is...Only Jesus can keep us ready. Foree

OCtober 2 &3

2008-10-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

At the A&M church office October 3rd was a normal day. All of the staff arrived and as is our practice from time to time we closed the office and went to have donuts and coffee for an hour. The time together was fun. The day turned out to be an enjoyable one. At the end of it we found ourselves in the Minster Assistant office laughing, telling stories and trying to eat 6 saltines in a minute (impossible - give it a try). The whole day had light moments mixed in with the usual church activities. Juanita Pixley, our receptionist, a lively and feisty lady of 64 years joined in the fun as we all did our work. The day ended as it had begun.
Friday morning, October 3rd Juanita was late to work - that NEVER happens. We joked some about her being old and maybe forgot...at 9:30 her husband called and said she was in the hospital. An hour later Juanita had left us to be with her Lord.
And that is how life ends. In a moment, after a normal day when all was well the last moments came. So we said goodbye to our coworker and friend, sister in Christ. Just how important is faith in Jesus? If we could ask Juanita...she would know. Foree

Inevitable Disagreement

2008-10-02T12:39:00.000-07:00

That brothers and sisters will inevitably disagree is firmly attached to the humanity of mankind. As Paul sets out in Romans we are all sinners (3:23). We sin morally, that is we fail to always do everything correctly in light of God's perfection. We sin doctrinally, that is, try as we do the truth of God's revelation often escapes us. No one can say "I have never changed my mind" (except perhaps the hard hearted). Beyond that is the difficulty of obeying the "greatest command" and as Jesus said "praying for those who persecute us."
Discussions regarding "doctrinal" issues existed in the NT (Acts 15) and persist today. If it were not for "doctrinal" failings Paul would have had no reason to write any of his Epistles. Paul, Peter, John and James wrote in order to remedy difficulties brethren had with moral and doctrinal issues. We are no better than they.
The grace of God is here for all of honest heart no matter how far afield they may fly either morally or doctrinally. If the heart is good before God the grace of God is near. Foree

DIVISION 2

2008-09-30T04:55:00.001-07:00

Somewhere along the line "division" became a good and right practice when "doctrine" was involved. Brothers inevitably came to different conclusions regarding scripture. The brothers and sisters were honestly trying to do God's will and be obedient to Him and His word. They also honestly disagreed. So there they were, opposing one another on a biblical subject. When the impasse was noted, seeing no other recourse, they divided. Each had followers or supporters and they took them and off they went. Two groups now, not speaking, arguing, ignoring one another both thinking the other lost for their point of view. It happened over and over and over again and is happening today.

Somewhere along the line "love" lost its meaning. It was no longer the greatest command. The "greatest command" must have been about the issue which precipitated the division since unity was ignored. Relationships broken, friendships ended, communion unshared, communication stopped and churches split because points of view became more important than Christ and his love for us and our love for one another.

Views of the Trinity, running baptismal water, communion cups, prayer order during communion, marriage and divorce, the Holy Spirit operating only through the word, having bible class, building a gym, orphan homes, Herald of Truth out of Abilene, churches giving money to Christian colleges, kitchens, buildings themselves, literature used in bible classes, raising hands, bowing down, praise teams, Christians serving in the military, pacifism, premillinialism, instrumental music, hermeneutics, missionary support, church cooperation, evolution, and on and on the list goes....Brethren dividing, ignoring, and speaking about one another in journals and to other people because they disagreed. Each one of them truly thinking they were RIGHT. In it all the love of Christ, patience, perseverance, etc...(1 Cor. 13) is abandoned. All in the name of "doctrine." The "greatest command" becomes the second greatest command because MY doctrine is first. What a shame. Foree

"DIVISION"

2008-09-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

This blog addresses an issue which has plagued our brotherhood for decades - division. Division can only take place when someone has the intent to divide and others align with him/her with the intent to divide. Division is not an idea but an action. When someone is divisive they intend to create something new from something that already exists or make two out of one.

So a person presents a new idea about something biblical. Perhaps their new thought or approach is different than former thinking or approaches. Their idea may or may not be biblically correct but they may hold it passionately. Is the new idea or interpretation or methodology divisive? It is, only if the person who presents it as a foundation or as a reason to divide or if one who hears it decides there must be a division or separation! The new thing could be polarizing, that is, people line up on different sides of the isle but it does not and cannot become divisive unless someone seeks division. Paul warns us about a person who is divisive and does not continue in God's teaching (Romans 16).

The divisive person is the person who divides or tries to divide. Another perspective or opinion is just that. Ideas, perspectives, interpretations do not divide, divisive people divide. Divisive people are not to be tolerated. We have to tolerate different matters of faith (ideas or beliefs - Romans 14) but not people who use their idea or faith to divide.

JESUS

2008-09-24T07:24:00.000-07:00

Somewhere along the line the church began to draw primary billing. Debates about names, organization, function of leadership, building use etc...dominated theological circles. Somewhere along the way it became more about church as institution. Even the word "church" prompts a vision of a group of people sitting in a building under a certain name organized in a certain way and doing certain things in a certain manner.

When you read the bible the central thought and focus is not the church but JESUS. Jesus only mentioned "church" once (Matthew 16:18- now be careful about including Matt. 18). The rest of his time on earth was dedicated to a call to repentance, a call to discipleship and a demonstration of his love for everyone. Read John, Jesus offered himself! The Father's focus from eternity was not the church but Jesus, the Anointed ONE, the Lord and Savior.

People are converted to Christ. Jesus makes the disciples ONE. Jesus sent the Spirit to give gifts to those who followed him (Jesus). Jesus saves us, empowers us, unites us, forgives us, and promises to come back to get us. He is the one to whom we look for everything. Jesus is the all in all and one to whom people in need are drawn. He is the one that died and lives for everyone. He is the ONE, the only ONE.

Proving God

2008-09-23T13:45:00.001-07:00

There are traditional arguments for the existence of God. One Argument From Design says that every design demands a designer. An illustration is that you cannot take all the pieces of a watch and throw them in the air and think that a perfectly working watch will fall to the ground. It is true. However, God himself came from nowhere. He is perfectly designed yet He had no designer.
God tells us that if we are to come to him we must 1st believe that he exists and 2nd believe that he rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6). The key word here is "belief." Believing is the foundation of our relationship with him. There is no final empirical or scientific proof that he exists, even though it is unbelievable that this world and all of its beauty and intricate systems could happen by accident. But in the end, God is invisible and has never been seen directly so belief is the only avenue to him.
Being convinced of God comes after one considers this world and wonders if it could happen by accident. The answer is no. This intricately designed and working universe demands a creator - Read Romans 1:20. After looking and experiencing this world one either believes in God and seeks him or not. It is our calling to believe, not to figure Him out! Foree

Sunday

2008-09-21T06:26:00.000-07:00

Sunday, one of the best days. I hope your time with the brothers and sisters is a good one. I hope the message you hear is from God's word and speaks to your heart. I hope the songs remind you of God's glory and Jesus' sacrifice and the love God has for you. I hope the time of assembly is a time of rest for your soul and that your Spirit is regenerated. I hope the Supper once again reminds you that God loves you and has saved you through Jesus. I hope your church family embraces you and does their part in making your walk with God a victory. Have a good day today...God made this day for just that. Foree

LOVE - Foundational

2008-09-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

God's prompting for sending Jesus came from his love for his created beings (John 3:16). It was his love for us, a mother's love, that made God want to gather us up like a hen gathers her chicks (Matthew 23:37). This undercurrent of a desire for the well being and good of others is the basic stuff of spirituality.
When God talks about love (1 Corinthians 13) it is about concern for others. Love is PATIENT with others, kind to OTHERS, not boasting ABOUT SELF, not proud OF ONESELF, not easily angered WITH OTHERS always hopeful, trusting, protecting and persevering WITH OTHERS. This love runs deep within the spiritual person...(the Corinthians had none of it)...
This Godly instinct is why LOVE is the GREATEST COMMAND, and why God desires MERCY and not sacrifice. It is why faith that moves mountains, and people who can speak with the tongues of angels and those who give themselves on the altar of sacrifice have done NOTHING if the foundational motivation (LOVE) does not exist,
So, there it is....what pleases God...a loving heart, the FIRST of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5). The Spirit is here to manage the image of God is us, love that flows in us because it flows in God. Foree

The "Image of God"

2008-09-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

The bible says we are made "...in God's image." Hurricane IKE brought out that image in many ways as the A&M church responded to evacuees and opened our facility for their needs. Our first effort was during RITA a few years back....
A young man with arms laden with tattoos walks up with a grin on his face and says "God bless you," not long after a very young girl presents some workers with a picture on a poster board surrounding THANK YOU in the boldest letters. Anthony calls back from his home town after returning to make sure we know he arrived safe and sound. Evacuees running for their lives take the time to sweep, mop, wash windows, clear tables and ask if there is "anything they can do." A man in a wheel chair reads his bible at breakfast and prays before he ever takes a bite. God's image shining brightly.
Church members arrive day after day at 6AM, 11:30AM and 5:30PM with enough food to feed 300 people and then some. Men and women stay up all night keeping careful watch for the safety and convenience of those sleeping in classrooms turned into bedrooms. A cot, a blanket and a pillow welcome relief for worried and tired travelers.
The "image of God," that spiritual side, built into humanity glow brightly as people assist each other and give a cup of water in Jesus' name. Race, background, social standing all lost in a sea of spirituality granted by God's grace when His image was laid on us. A beautiful thing the image of God. Born of Deity and marked with that Spirit it displays itself in the worst of circumstances. God among us, in us, demonstrating that which prompted God to send Jesus before the world began. Evacuees and helpers alike, working from within because the need arises and the "image" takes over. Thank you God for giving us part of Yourself. Foree

Saul's Lesson - Religious Observance NOT Obedience

2008-09-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

King Saul was Israel's first, chosen by God after Israel's leaders ask for a king. Having a king was alright with God, he had given instructions about such a man to Moses (Deut. 17:14). The problem was that Saul did not have the mentality (spirituality) that God required.
1 Samuel 15 records the "straw that broke the camel's back' between God and Saul. God told Saul to completely destroy the Amalakites (the end of a story begun several hundred years ago by God after the Amalakites "waylaid" Israel in their wilderness sojourn Cf. Exodus 17). Saul fought the Amalakites but spared Agag the king and the "best" of the livestock (1 Sam.15:9). Samuel ask Saul if he did as God commanded (destroy EVERYTHING) and Saul said "yes." Samuel ask "then what is the bleating of lambs(1 Sam.15:14) I hear?" Saul said - well we saved the best of the livestock in order to offer sacrifices (15:21) to God. God's response...1 Samuel 15:22 "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings...as much as obeying (his voice-flg)."
Saul thought religious observance was obedience! God wants an obedient heart, not observances. Observances are only effective if they are offered with faithful hearts. The point is that DOING good things is not necessarily a sign of faithfulness. God seeks hearts turned to HIM, not good acts. Good acts serve no purpose without a heart turned to God. More to come...Foree

GIFTS AMONG THE THORNS

2008-09-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

Today I had to pass by the house to meet a family member. As I drove up there was a nice steel Smoker sitting in my driveway. I have been looking at them for awhile - you know the kind that are constructed from heavy gauge steel with wheels and use real wood rather than propane? Anyway there it was. A note was attached, written on plain notebook paper, "Delivered by a 'thorn'." Anonymous gift. A pleasant surprise. Enjoyment for me and for them. Prompted by a lesson from God we (giver and receiver) learned from His book. Happy moment, fun!
"Thorns" come and go and somewhere wrapped inside of them are God's blessings. Hidden amidst the trial, a surprise gift. The recipient left to ask, "Why would God bless me so?"
A message about thorns - a message from God's book - a gift given - unannounced.
Isn't God wonderful. Every once in awhile he leaves a gift...I might plan a meal some day and invite some guests and the giver might be among them, watching me enjoy the gift. God just keeps on giving...nice!
Foree

Things We Can Depend On

2008-09-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

When "thorns" poke their way into our lives it usually means trouble, discomfort, suffering, hardship of varying intensities. As we pass through these times of trial, often intensified by the devil coming along and throwing in some temptation there are truths on which we can depend:
We can depend upon God being at work in us no matter what (Philippians 2:13-14.
We can depend upon His Holy Spirit being in us and doing His work (Philippians 1:19).
We can depend upon our brethren sharing in our struggles (Philippians 4:10,14).
We can depend upon God to make good things out of the difficult (Philippians 1:13-14).
We can depend upon God's forgiveness for our sins (Philippians 3:12-14).
We can depend upon the fact that if we die due to our trial we will be better off (Philippians 1:23-24).
God is dependable and faithful. He has not left us comfortless. He will always be with us no matter what we might encounter in this "thorny" world. God will help with our needs (Philippians 4:19) Foree

Lesson Learned

2008-09-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

Several years ago in a study of Philippians I was given a very practical application from a friend. When trouble comes our way or when we face a dilemma Paul gives us something very practical to do. Take a sheet of paper and write at the top the name of the problem, the person with whom you have conflict or the situation you may face...After the naming of the issue or person read Philippians 4:8. On the left side of the page write down the words TRUE, NOBLE, RIGHT, PURE, LOVELY, ADMIRABLE, EXCELLENT, PRAISEWORTHY...leaving some blank space under each word.
After the NAMING and the LISTING go back and write something TRUE about the issue or person or situation...do this with each of the words Paul uses...When you are done you have completed a positive and biblically based exercise regarding the "thorn" you face...
Then, pray (Philippians 4:6)...
There is Spirit filled wisdom in Paul's words. When he writes them he is in prison and his friends at Philippi share in his struggle(1:30). Paul's' Spirit filled words are practical and helpful...they might even relieve some anxiety about whatever we may face...Foree

Prayer and God's Will

2008-09-02T07:35:00.000-07:00

I have been giving some thought to the last post on this blog. I am wondering if God might answer our prayer to the detriment of another? Suppose a loved one is hurting or ill...our usual desire is for them to quit hurting or be healed. What if we pray for that and God honors our prayer but what is really best for the hurting one is to hurt or for the sick person to pass on to the Lord?
This is a tough question. We often view death as something to be avoided but perhaps the best thing in some situations is for the person to die and be with God (read Philippians1:20-27). Good for a person to die? Sounds odd. But how does God view death? Is it the end of our journey or the real purpose for our existence?
So, we might consider the "will of God" in our prayers. Maybe this is why we should pray "they will be done." It is not an out for God but the deliverance of our will to His will. We can ask for whatever we desire but set in His will. God answers according to his desires, not ours. Foree

ANSWERED PRAYER AND OUR WAY

2008-08-29T07:27:00.000-07:00

When we ask God for something and we get it, it may be that our getting what we want is not a sign of God's approval. God could answer our prayer affirmatively yet not be pleased with our request. His "yes" to us may end up being a learning experience, even a hardship, so that we will see what is really best. So, if we ask and receive our request that may or may not reflect God's approval.
In Deut. 17 God gave instruction about Israel asking for a king. In 1 Samuel 8 Israel asks for a king. The request is considered an evil thing by Samuel (1 Sam. 12:17). However, God still chooses a king for them. Their request is granted even though it was an "evil thing." So Saul becomes king, an impressive man, very tall. He is humble at first but then in the heat of battle and because he is afraid he is presumptuous and offers a sacrifice to God (offerings were to be BLESSED by priests). God had already taught Saul that lesson (9:13). So, Saul turns out to be a dud even though God chose him. BUT God chose him to give Israel what they wanted. But their desire was not God's will. Israel got Saul so God could teach them again about being obedient. Read Samuel's sermon to Israel 1 Samuel 12:20-25.
LESSON: Answered prayer, getting what we want, may not necessarily be proof of God's approval. God may be answering "yes" for some other reason than it being his will to do so....Trusting God is an interesting walk....Foree

Johnny Stallings - THIS IS A LONG ONE BUT WORTH IT

2008-08-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

I only met him once but around the A&M church of Christ where the Stallings used to attend Johnny was well know. People talked about his SPIRIT and the blessings he brought to other's lives......The following lines were written by someone else...as you read them think about the value of life and how life cannot be judged based upon "normalcy" and "thornlessness." To some Johnny should have been aborted, left to sit in a room somewhere without purpose or meaning.
Another important note is that God is not bound by things that bind humanity. There is value in every person no matter how "thorny" their life may be. Thorns are not fun but they do prompt growth and trust in God. So, read below and consider how important faith in God is no matter what thorn may come our way...When thorns come our way maybe we should consider what trusting God may accomplish ANYWAY...Foree

Johnny Stallings!!

All I ever really needed to know, I learned from Johnny Stallings.
You can go to the finest schools and get any advanced degree they offer.
Or you can read all of the business and self-improvement books you want.
But for a Ph.D in true wisdom, take a look at the life of Johnny Stallings.

You may have never heard of Johnny. He had Down Syndrome.
When he was born, 46 years ago in Alabama, the doctors said he
wouldn't live even a year or two because of a severe heart defect. Other
well-meaning doctors advised his parents to put him in an institution.

"In a year," they said, "you'll forget you ever had him."But fortunately for all of us, Gene and Ruth Ann Stallingsdidn't take their advice. They chose to treat Johnny as a vital part of
their family. And we are all the better for it.

As his father advanced his football coaching career - first at Alabama,
then to Texas A&M, the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals and finally to
a national championship in 1992 at Alabama - Johnny was an integral part
of the team. To Johnny, the most important person was the trainer.Trainers take care of the players," he once said. "You can't win without trainers."

To the day he died, Johnny Stallings wore a massive, diamond-encrusted
National Championship ring on his frail fingers, which were tinged a
grayish blue from the lack of oxygen caused by his heart condition.

Johnny was front and center in that National Championship team photo. In
fact, he was a part of every team his father coached, including the
storied Dallas Cowboys. The players drew inspiration from him. When
Johnny turned 40 years old, for example, his birthday party was attended
by a Who's Who of former NFL stars.

Johnny had some accomplishments of his own. He was featured with his
father on a popular national United Way TV commercial, has a playground
named for him at the RISE center in Tuscaloosa, had the athletic
training facility at Alabama named for him, and won a "Change the World"
award from Abilene Christian University.

But perhaps the most important thing that Johnny Stallings accomplished
is this: he taught us that it doesn't matter what awards you win, or
what worldly accomplishments you achieve, it is how you live your life
that matters most

CARDBOARD

2008-08-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

You might find CARDBOARD SERMON on U TUBE and take a look. It is a sermon without words (something for which everyone has hoped ). This sermon grows out of the lives and experiences people have had in their walk with the Lord. It is testimony about what God has done in their lives and the whole sermon prompts praise to God for his wonderful work in them through Christ. The people involved walk up with a piece of cardboard with a message on it. The first message describes an incident, a sin, a problem, a struggle the person is having or has had. Then the sign is flipped over and the solution from God or praise to God for relief is displayed. Some of the signs deal with sin, others with health issues, others with spiritual growth, all of them wonderful. Give it a look see and note how God helps with the "THORNS" in our lives. HE is worthy of praise!
Richland Hills Church in Fort Worth did a similar service. If youcannot find the one on U TUBE then go to the Richland Hills web cite and see theirs. Foree

God's Hand

2008-08-25T12:31:00.001-07:00

While reading the Old Testament it is interesting to read and look for God's hand in the lives of those who followed him. When God called Abram out of UR it began a journey in his life which culminated at Moriah. God had given Abraham the promise of a nation from his loins. The problem was Abram was old and his wife was barren. Then, after Isaac's arrival, God sent Abraham to Moriah to sacrifice his son of promise. On the way up the hill with Isaac in tow Abraham reasoned that God would raise Isaac from the dead after he was sacrificed (Hebrews 11:17-19). That reasoning illustrates the depth of confidence (faith) that Abraham had in God.
That level of faith did not come over night. God made Abraham and Sarah wait many years before Isaac was born. God managed Abraham through his journeys and had patience with him in is failings (remember he lied about Sarah being his wife and at one time even asked if Ishmael could live under His blessing). God's hand was aways there even when Abraham was wondering or faltering or laughing at God's plan.
Often God's hand is not readily obvious. God is there all along in our journeys and in that process our faith grows. The growth comes with God being with us even when we are not completely with Him. When a test comes and faith becomes evident then we can look back and see how God has grown that faith in us through the other trials of our lives.
God is always there patiently helping and providing and even testing. At various moments as we walk with Him we might wonder what he is doing. That is his business, ours is to trust. Then some event comes along and faith surprises us. We know for sure He is there and finally assured we are there with him. Foree

Suffering When We Do Not Sin

2008-08-25T06:31:00.000-07:00

The title suggests the topic for this blog. Where is God when people suffer, especially children?
This is a tough one. After Adam and Eve made the choice they did Genesis 3 tells us that there were consequences for the world. Women having pain in child birth and eyes for her husband...and the ground would produce thorns. Until then paradise was thorn less. The new reality, since paradise was lost, is that this world is no longer a paradise. Thorns, hardships, struggles, pain, difficulty all exist and come to us indiscriminately. If you read 2 Corinthians 11:22-33 there is a long list of some of Paul's difficulties. Some of his hardships were the result of other people (lashes), some were the result of nature (wind storm/ship wreck), one was within himself (inwardly burning) and some were some false brothers. Troubles may come due to paradise being lost, like a storm which causes a shipwreck. People cause suffering -their decisions which effect others. The truth is this thorny world may bring any kind of suffering for anyone, adult or child, and it is just part of living in a "groaning" (see Romans 8) world.
As you continue with 2 Cor. 12:7-10 you learn that what God wants from us is faith. Trusting him is not about how well we or our children are or how well we escape difficulty. We trust God not matter what and it is our weakness that turns us to him. It is always hard to see suffering. We need to let suffering remind us of our need for God. Easier said then done, I know and you may need to read this back to me some day when I suffer and do not know why or watch a loved one suffer.

Faith - Suffering and God

2008-08-24T06:51:00.001-07:00

A person writes that he/she wonder what big sin Adam and Eve committed...and where was the "forgiving God" when they sinned? Adam and Eve's sin - led by Eve and Adam just was "there," had to do with faith, not the nature of the sin itself. Eating from a tree - maybe an apple?, does not seem all that big a deal. And why did God just not forgive them? the issue between God and the two created ones was faith. When God told them to stay away from the tree of knowledge he was trying to guide them into eternal life (eating from the tree of life would be their only other choice). According to scripture God just told them to leave it alone or they would die. The consequences of not trusting God would be dire.
When God gave them direction they had to trust him, that he was telling them the truth. The test for Adam and Eve was whether or not they would believe God or do what they wanted. They chose the later (Genesis 3). Instead of trusting God they listened to the tempter and to their own desires and appetites. God did not kill them immediately, but death did enter the human scene.
The issue of their lives and ours is believing and trusting God. If we do not do that all is lost.

MULCHING

2008-08-20T16:45:00.001-07:00

Our Sonshine and Cornerstone schools have a playground which was recently gone over with a fine tooth comb by State Inspectors and it, the playground was found lacking. The requirements were a new professionally built border twelve inches high filled to the brim with a special mulch created especially for playgrounds. This mulch is about three grinds away from sawdust - very fine.
This required procedure was going to cost a bundle until yours truly along with a friend volunteered to do the manual labor - tractors, shovels, rakes etc...We finished today after beginning a week ago Monday. It seemed easy enough to do - then it rained and rained - then we realized 80 yards of mulch was not enough - ended up using 160 yards - in the middle of rain storms - asking for volunteers then cancelling due to rain - asking for volunteers and then canceling due to rain...
The little emergency took over for several days....I found myself mulching and fitting in the rest of the things I had to do between mulches....it reminds me of how emergency issues can over take us and the really more foundational things can be fitted in...the experience made me grateful for more normal days without little emergencies...So mulching is over and I learned something...done for the day....Foree

Hardship

2008-08-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

So the question - Does God introduce hardship-difficulty-suffering etc...? Consider a perspective. Adam and Eve have just been put in the garden. They are standing there without history, no parents, no memory, no past, just there. One minute they were not and then they were. Two adults in a world previously unknown to them. God gives them each other (marriage), a job (work the garden), enjoyment (food and things "pleasing to the eye) and trial (hardship). Their trial (testing, not temptation) was the freedom "you are free to eat from any tree in the garden" except for the tree of knowledge. So, their suffering was their decision (God does not make it for them) to believe (have faith) in what God said (if you eat of it you will die) or ignore God and do their own thing (See Gen. 3). God built the dilemma into their world. He did not tempt them to eat (Satan did that) but he did present them with the choice. The choice was a dilemma and we only have part of Eve's decision making process in Genesis 3(I assume it is only part). The mental and spiritual struggle to obey was by God's design. He created them, informed them, warned them and let them go. They had the hardship, suffering, difficulty of deciding.
POINT: Hardship, suffering (excluding temptation) was part of God's created order. If we suffer it is natural..expected...normal...Foree

Can I Do Enough

2008-08-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

Confession time. I spent I do not know how many years dreading the idea of the coming Lord. Saying "Maranatha" - "come Lord Jesus" seemed crazy to me. The song There's A Great Day Coming always gave me more pause because of the verse "There's A Sad Day Coming." Seeing Jesus was never a comforting thought to me. My sister and I used to think that you could do anything in the day because Jesus did not arrive until night, like a thief. Only night time needed repentance. Sad...
God planned from before creation for Jesus to arrive in this world to take away our sins (Matt. 1:21). Jesus himself counted it an honor to sacrifice his relationship with the Father in order to come here and die for our sins (Philippians 2:3ff). Jesus obediently obeyed the Father and suffered so that we could live (Hebrews 5:8-10). Jesus offered himself up ONCE FOR ALL (check the phrase in the book of Hebrews) and made atonement for the whole world (1 John 2:2). Jesus DID IT ALL, there is no more to do. Can I do enough, never. Will I be good enough, never. Will I know enough, never. Will I love enough, not hardly. Jesus did it all for me...all he asked is my faith...I cannot wait to see Him. Come Lord Jesus!

Notes

2008-08-04T11:26:00.000-07:00

It has been brought to my attention that my age is not 1958 (see profile)- I do not know how that got on there and I have tried but I cannot figure out how to change it - my age is 58.

I would like to hear from anyone who would like to write me a note at foree@amchurch.net. Even though I do not consider myself the answer man I would be open to questions or comments, of a religious nature, from any of you who might stumble on to this site. It would be a good format to have some discussions, and they do not even have to be about "thorns."

The "thorns" issue comes to my mind partly because of the number of things I face with myself and others along the way. I am sure that your experience is the same as mine and you know as well as I that life does not always give us the best circumstances. If there are other things about which you would like to write - feel free. Foree

Offerings

2008-07-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

Let me encourage you to read Leviticus chapters 1-6 and follow along with this blog. Notice the offerings made by Israel were a sweet "aroma" to God. Not the odor of the meat but the faith which prompted its presentation. "Sacrifice" is just that, a sacrifice. Lambs, goats and cattle marked the wealth of the people of the OT. When they sinned they had to sacrifice something. To kill such a valuable holding was indeed a sacrifice. The sacrifice could not be nay old goat. It had to be one of "proper value" since it was being offered to pay the "penalty" for sin. So when sin takes place it comes with a price tag - that price has to be paid. Not just anything will do.
So, what is valuable enough to pay for the sins of the whole world (See 1 John 2:1-2). Only God himself. The death of one divine was the price of payment for our sin. this follows exactly what our father set forth as the remedy for sin.
What more can I do not be saved? Nothing. The price is paid in full. All God requires of us is faith in what HE has done. No matter how bad - Jesus is worth it. Forgiveness if offered at the price of Christ if we will receive it in faith. Jesus is the sweet aroma - not us. God paid the penalty - not us. Once for all the sacrifice was made - by God, not us. There is nothing for us to do but trust. Foree

FAITH

2008-07-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

As we travel along dealing with the eventualities of life whatever they may be we are left finally with one enduring blessing from God....faith. Reading the book of Hebrews, Christ, the anointed one, replaces every man made effort to reach God. Angels, tabernacles, Holy Of Holies, lamp stands, lavers for washing, washings themselves, animal sacrifices, the sprinkling of blood on everything pertaining the the tabernacle or temple were all replaced with Christ. Jesus himself became the sacrifice for our sins, a pleasing aroma to God. John says Jesus atoned for the sins of the whole world.
Now what more can we do to reach out to God? Is there any prayer or effort more capable of pleasing the Father than all that Christ has done? If we suffer from "not doing enough" what can we do at all? Is there any wonder that Paul said we are saved "by grace through faith?" It is trusting Christ that makes all the difference. Having faith that he has done enough before the Father and now sits with the Father to plead our case (1 John 2:1-2).
Too often we worry about our place in eternity when Jesus has given us the right to walk right into the Holy of Holies and be in the presence of God (Hebrews 10). So, with all of our weaknesses and thorns and trials and worries there is one worry those of faith do not have...that is if we have done enough. Christ has already done it.

TRYING

2008-07-21T06:53:00.000-07:00

So recently given a number of very significant thorns, mostly in the lives of others this time, I am reminded of how ready I am to see the Lord. It would be of great relief to hear the trumpet about now. It is not depression or a death focus it is just the relief which will come when the end is upon us and the reality of the thorny world is no longer a reality.
I suppose the end times, eschatology as the scholars call it, has never been a very pleasant thought to me. I remember singing There's a Great Day Coming and always being more focused on the Sad Day Coming than the Great Day Coming. To me, growing up, judgment was a a thing to be avoided as long as possible. Stay alive for as many years as you can because judgment is at best a chancy thing. I might make it but then again I might not so, since eternity is so long it is better to stay here and put off the inevitable as long as possible.
Not so today...a new perspective for me (relatively speaking I have had it awhile now) is that judgment day is not about me but about me IN CHRIST. The focus of Jesus' new order is that He is the focus, HE is the Savior, Friend, Sacrifice, Obedience etc...HE IS THE WAY (John 14) I cannot come to the Father except through HIM. HE himself is the peace for which people look, he is the forgiveness people need and he is the hope every person lives on, or should live on. The eschatology of Christ is that HE takes care of the final days. He has prepared a place and HE will come again to get me, all of us...we simply trust Him to do what he said HE would do...so fine...COME LORD JESUS...an end to the thorns will be right nice...

Why It Is So Hard....

2008-07-16T08:01:00.000-07:00

There is a word used in the book of James, a Greek word, that is translated in English as "trial" and "tempt." How the word is translated has to do with context because both "trial" and "tempt" are proper translations.
Hardship, trial, suffering, difficulty and problems are part and parcel of our lives. Perplexity (see 2 Corinthians 4:7-12) is just as important a facet of our existence as is relief. But it is perplexity and being "hard pressed" (trial) which make us what we are to be. After Jesus had been here for awhile and lived the human trek the Hebrews writer said "he learned obedience through the things that he suffered (5:8), "even though he was a son." Peter, who struggled along mightily, wrote in his first letter that it is the "fire" that tests and proves our faith in God (1 Peter 1:4-9) and the brother of Jesus would say that it is "trial" that matures us as we have faith in God (James 1:1-18). So hardship, suffering and trial make us...they are necessary as we move along in life. They are the thorns which put our trust in God to the test...
Back to this word translated "trial" and "temptation." In the midst of our trial, our testing, however long it may last and however intense it might be, there is another spirit being doing its best to pull us away from faith/trust. As in Genesis 3 he speaks another word than God's word and seeks to get us to focus on what we like or an experience we might cherish. He tells us lies about what is right and uses rationalization (ours) to create a new perspective. He redefines truth and often makes us the author of it instead of God. HE is a liar and Jesus even said lying was his "native language." So in the midst of our suffering, trial, hardship or perplexity the tempter is there turning TRAIL into TEMPTATION.
The line between trial and temptation is a thin line which cannot be seen. It is the invisible line of faith in the God who remains outside our tangible world. Faith is evidence of that which we do not see (Hebrews 11). When the thorns arrive God demands we trust him and that is the trial. The "father of lies" tells us God us not trustworthy and that we should lean on ourselves, our wisdom, our insight, our mental and physical strength. That is when "trial" which is for our own good and growth is turned into temptation. The difference between trial andtemptation remains a thin invisible line. Drawing close to God demands trial and when the trial comes the other one tries to turn it into temptation...that is why it is so hard...for trial to work we trust the God whom we have not seen...

Thorns - Here They Come Again

2008-07-15T11:56:00.000-07:00

The last two and one half weeks have been a mixture of glory to God for his creation and for rest and praise to God for being there when once again life is interrupted with a thorn or two. Part of my family and I gathered at our cabin in southern Colorado for some relaxation. Last winter the snow fall was over the top. That resulted in a lot of run off and very green fields and mountain sides and rivers and streams full to the brim and running at very high speeds. The rivers were so fast that dry flies cast into them were just swept along. The calm spots were few and far between and in those spots the fish did not respond very well at all. So, fishing was difficult and in some places impossible. But was it ever green and beautiful. The cabin time was warm, familial and relaxing. Eating, games, resting, reading, visiting etc...were the plans of the day with fishing interspersed throughout. We did manage to catch come 44 Brookies at the beaver ponds and have a nice meal on Friday before we left for home.
In the middle of the two week vacation and family gathering a very wonderful lady at our home died. She had been in a battle with cancer, had to leave her teaching job which she loved and became clinically depressed. Her depression and loss of perspective took her away from her husband of 25 years and her two teenage daughters and many very close friends. "Thorns,"... they arrive at any time with no respect for time, energy, patience etc...they just come. I flew home for the funeral and was blessed to be of service to the family.
So when thorns arrive coming for whatever reason we can only respond in faith. It means we trust God no matter how terrible the circumstance to guide us along as we try and do our best in response. It is here that God's grace is most visible. He works through various individuals in various ways depending on the gifts He has given. Some are there for words to say, others for prayers they pray and many to hold and reassure and just be present. It is time to trust, explanations fall short of offering real relief. Theological discussions touch the mind but in these moments it is the heart felt needs that have to be addressed. What we have learned, what we know and believe about God (theology) is lived out personally in the interaction of souls in times of high grief and stress.
The most amazing thing is God at work, doing His thing like He did when He caused the snow of the winter in cold Colorado to green the spring fields and wet the dry summer. Amazing as that is to see and enjoy it is even more amazing to see our Savior at work in people in time of thorny tragedy. That is the real blessing. For His grace I am thankful.

More on Thorns

2008-06-18T12:19:00.000-07:00

The bible is full of people..just people, not heroes or special people, just people. There was/is only one special person, the anointed one, Jesus. Other than that you have people from Moses to John the Apostle who were just human beings created in God's image. Every one of them and us have one thing in common..we are all sinners...and our sins come because we live in a world where Satan is active and he tries to pull us away from God our Father. Our sins are the thorns of our lives. Some of them we cause some are caused by others ( look what Adam and Eve did to us).
People in scripture are not commended for their ability to remain thorn less...they are commended because they had faith in God. They trusted him to do what they could not imagine being done. They had faith that he would un-complicate the lives they had complicated. They lived just like we live, by faith and from day to day. It was no easy task for Moses to return to Egypt and it was real difficult for Abraham to drag Isaac up Moriah with sacrifice on his mind. Rahab risked it all to believe that God was behind the spies. Peter, James and John took quite a leap when they hooked up with the other 8 and decided to follow Jesus. Trust, faith in God, is the deliverer from the thorns of life which come our way because of our sin. Trusting Christ is the issue of our existence.

THORNS - Sinful Ones

2008-03-05T05:15:00.000-08:00

There are all kinds of thorns. the most miserable ones are the ones introduced by the serpent, the "father of lies." Jesus says that when the devil lies he "speaks his native language." He did a job on Adam and Eve in the Garden. If you read Genesis 3 he was very crafty. He told Eve that the reason God did not want her to eat from the Tree of Knowledge was that then she would be like Him. It was a half truth, a lie. She would be like God in knowing good and evil - which God had tried to keep out of their lives - but Satan meant she would be Divine, like God. Satan also told Solomon (read Ecclesiastes) since he was King and rich and powerful that he could find the meaning of life with those things and his wisdom. It did not work. Satan told the Pharisees that if they killed Jesus he would no longer threaten their power - it did not work. Satan tells our world that drugs and sex and alcohol and money will enrich them and it doesn't. He tells married couples that if they separate they can solve their problems and that does not work either. He encourages Christians not to pray or go to church or read their bibles and fast and those that listen find out that end up not missing those things at all - so they quit - and then they find out what they missed. The devil tells our society that actors with money and fame can tell us how to live on shows like David Letterman - but they are the ones on drugs who cannot stay married. The devil is a porcupine sticking our world with hurtful lies. Thorns that he gives us never come out and fester and kill our souls. Avoiding him is the only policy.