Saturday Night

 "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. and there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him." Acts 20: 7-10

I couldn't help but think of these verses last Sunday morning. People were yawning, heads were nodding, falling, and then jerking upright; some people had what I call, 'The Stares.'  It's when this person is literally gazing off into the distance not really looking or comprehending anything at all.  They don't even blink.  It's sleeping with their eyes open.

What are all these people doing on Saturday night that cause them to come to church Sunday morning exhausted?

-Hard work?

-Or hard play?

I realize there will be times when staying up late on a Saturday night is unavoidable, but napping in church every Sunday morning is not True Worship.  Doesn't our Saviour deserve more?

My advice to the weary...

    Go to bed early...

        And be thankful your chair is not near a window...

            But that's just me!

"And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD."

2 Chronicles 12:14

Blessing upon Blessing

 A very dear friend of ours recently spent the night in hospital.  Deciding to be a blessing to both he and his wife, I drove through Starbucks, picked up some coffee and headed their way for a visit.  While there, we laughed, we cried, and we spoke of Jesus.  As nurses walked in and out of the room, or as they passed by the door, they often had perplexed expressions on their faces; we knew what they were thinking!  How can there be laughter in the same room cancer resides?  Because Jesus resides there too!

John 1:16 says, "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace."  This is such a beautiful verse!  My commentary says, 'The Word made flesh is the source of grace, which is the sum total of all the spiritual favors God gives to all people.  The words we...all refer to Christians.  Because of the fulness of His grace, one blessing after another, comes to Christians as waves continue to come to the shore.  The Christian life is the constant reception of one evidence of God's grace replacing another.'  Walvoord & Zuck

Isn't that beautiful?

Grace upon Grace.  Constantly, one blessing upon one blessing.  Waves of blessings!  That's how God's favor is upon us.  Just thinking about that makes my heart full!    God's blessings toward us are never ending, and they never run out!

As I walked out of the hospital that day, I realized something quite amazing.

    I went there to be a blessing...

        And I was the one blessed...

            But that's just me!

Temporary Password

 The other day, I went on-line to check an account and found that it no longer recognized my Username or Password. I tried everything, even clicking on the 'forgot password' link.  In frustration, I knew instead of going on-line, I would have to walk-in to the Local Branch Office to get this problem fixed.  While there, I was given a temporary password to use once I reached home.  I asked the gal who helped me at the window, "Will this password expire in 15 minutes?"  (Finishing my errands and driving home would take me a lot longer than 15 minutes.)  She assured me that this password would work all day.

When I got home, turned on my computer, and entered the temporary password, I found that it, indeed, expired after 15 minutes; I ended up having to call the 1-800 number to receive another temporary password.  (I made sure to Login before the next 15 minutes!)

It made me realize how many things in this life are truly temporary.  Even physical life itself is temporary, But God promises ETERNAL LIFE through His Son, Jesus Christ.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Romans 6:23

Many religions today say you can lose your salvation.  I find that so sad and tragic.  Friend, when You turn from your sin and turn to Jesus Christ, you are promised Eternal Life.  Forever.  Never ending.

Even Jesus Himself tells us so:

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."

Words of Jesus, John 10:27-29

Eternal life requires no temporary passwords...

    Just Jesus...

        But that's just me!

I try to find a quote to go along with my writings, a quote by some well-known person, and I found this quote best of all.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Jesus Christ-John 3:16