July 1 outside the box

Outside the box. Daniel 5:30-31  In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.
31  And Darius the Median took the kingdom…. Belshazzar was the king of the Babylonian empire. The Lord sent a man’s fingers to write a message on the wall of the palace where they were drinking from the gold vessels from the temple in Jerusalem worshiping gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood and stone. Daniel 5:4-5  They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. 5  In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Daniel was called in to interpret the handwriting on the wall and explained that God had numbered the kingdom and finished it. The king had been weighed in the balances and was found wanting. His kingdom would be taken from him and given to the Medes and Persians. At that very moment Darius had his men divert the part of the Euphrates River that went through the city. This diversion caused the water to stop flowing into the city. Where the river passed through the city walls bars extended deep into the river. However, with the river diverted there was space below the bars for his army to gain entrance. God allowed Darius to think “outside the box.” Engineers had doubtless thought no enemy could swim deep enough to go under the bars. But diverting the river? That was a surprise. Payday had come for King Belshazzar and he was killed that night. You’re your time is up… it is up. Divert the river and the bars will be of no value in protecting the city. Ask Jesus to help you solve life’s problems. He is the wisest of the wisest. Isaiah 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Ask Jesus to bring His thoughts down to your level. Many times, His thoughts don’t make sense. As a born-again Christian His Holy Spirit lives in your heart. He will direct you. Now let’s think outside the box. How do I go to Heaven? I know! Get God’s attention by being a perfect sinless person. But you can’t. You have already sinned. You have been weighed in the balance and found wanting. How are we saved? By trusting the crucified and resurrected Son of God to be your saviour. Outside the box. Such thinking could only come from God. Such a plan of salvation is so simple, yet so unlikely. Yet it is real. Let go. Repent. Believe in Jesus. Ask Him to forgive you. It works. Very simply it works. Jesus did the work. Will you receive it?

The cardboard box. While riding my motorcycle down a gravel country road I spotted a cardboard box by the side of the road. It was taped shut. I wondered about it but kept on my journey of enjoying quiet time with Jesus. The next time I came down that road the box was still there. Curiosity got the best of me. As I approached it a terrible stench came from it. Pulling off the tape and looking inside I found a dead cat. Someone had left a living cat in a box taped shut to die in the summer sun. How cruel. I prayed that that person would repent and ask for forgiveness from Jesus. A few weeks later traveling the same lonely road I saw another box taped shut. As I approached it, I heard a cat crying from inside. When I opened the box, the cat sprung out and ran as fast as he could across the field to some brush and trees about a football field away. I decided to not try to find him. If he was to die, at least he would die a free cat. Perhaps he would live. At least he had a chance to live.  I prayed for the cruel person who would do such a deed. Now understand while I have not committed the same sin, I have committed many more. And the Bible teaches if we break one of God’s laws we are just as guilty as if we had broken all of God’s laws. James 2:10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. In God’s eyes we are either innocent or guilty. When we are old enough to know right from wrong, we chose to do wrong. All of us have. Romans 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; We condemn ourselves to a place of torment the Bible calls hell or the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15   And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. There is a book called the Lamb’s Book of Life. Jesus is the lamb who died for our sins. He came back to life. Today He loves us and draws us to Him. John 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. He loves you and is drawing you to turn to Him in repentance and be saved and have your name in His book. Satan boxes us up, torments us and wants to kill us. Jesus wants to liberate you and set you free. Luke 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, Satan has bruised you. Please let Jesus free you.

The wooden box. Picture a wooden box 3 feet by 3 feet with one side that opens. Now picture yourself curling up inside that box naked. Then the door is closed. At predetermined times you will be allowed out to go to the toilet. The rest of the time insects craw freely over you. People outside are constantly yelling at you belittling you. Making fun of you. Occasionally they open the door and spray water from a water hose on you. Food is thrown in. Just enough to keep you alive. All night long people are shouting at you keeping you awake. For how long? 72 hours. 72 hours. Can you imagine how horrible that would be? Those who pass this test are let out to go on to their next test in their Navy Seal training. Why would the U.S. Navy be so cruel? They are testing the candidate to see if he can stand the test. Why? Because some day if he is captured by the enemy this is the way he may be treated. Training. Toughening up. Preparing for what may lie ahead. Now let’s look at the Christian soldier. God toughens His children. Following Jesus is not always roses and lollipops. Our enemy is vicious and real. Invisible and unfair. It is ok for him to kick below the belt. Ephesians 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Us Christians may cry out in anguish, “God! Why are you letting this happen to me?” Jesus toughens His children and then comforts them. He allows us to go through unpleasant circumstances so we can help others who need comfort.  2 Corinthians 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.  God allows the enemy to attack us. But only under the watchful eye of our Saviour. Satan must get permission before he can touch you. Jesus builds a hedge of protection around His children. Satan asked God: Job 1:10  Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. Kenneth Wuest, a Greek scholar says, “We must be ground between the grindstones of adversity before we can become the bread for the multitude.” Jesus is toughening you up so you can be an effective soldier in His army. Try not to complain. Do your best to say with Jesus, Matthew 26:39 nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

July 4 “Four bullet holes in his coat. George Washington was considered by some to be bullet proof. Twenty years before the American Revolution Colonel George Washington on July 9, 1755 fought in the French and Indian War. Officers all around him were shot off their horses. Washington left the battle with four bullet holes in his coat, one in his hat, bullet fragments in his hair and two horses shot out from under him yet he was unharmed. During the two hour battle this 23 year old officer rode to and fro on the battlefield repeating the Generals orders to his officers and troops. Of the eighty-six British and American officers sixty-three were casualties. Washington was the only officer on horseback not shot down.  Fifteen years later, in 1770 — now a time of peace — George Washington and a close personal friend, Dr. James Craik, returned to those same Pennsylvania woods. An old Indian chief from far away, having heard that Washington had come back to those woods, traveled a long way just to meet with him. He sat down with Washington, and face-to-face over a council fire, the chief told Washington that he had been a leader in that battle fifteen years earlier, and that he had instructed his braves to single out all the officers and shoot them down. Washington had been singled out, and the chief explained that he personally had shot at Washington seventeen different times, but without effect. Believing Washington to be under the care of the Great Spirit, the chief instructed his braves to cease firing at him. He then told Washington: I have traveled a long and weary path that I might see the young warrior of the great battle….I am come to pay homage to the man who is the particular favorite of Heaven, and who can never die in battle.” The Bulletproof George Washington by David Barton. According to George Washington’s mothers’ Bible he was sprinkled when he was not quite two years old in the orthodox Episcopal manner. At the age of thirty-three he took an oath to conform to the doctrine of the Church of England.  Then years later a strong wave of evangelism swept the Methodist and Baptist faiths and Washington talking to a Baptist Chaplain in the Continental Army said, “I have been investigating the Scripture and I believe immersion to be the baptism taught in the Word of God, and I demand it at your hands.” Washington was immersed in the Potomac River in the presence of forty-two witnesses. Baptism does not save you. Faith in Jesus does.  John 3:15-16  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16  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. Have you repented of your sins and asked Jesus for eternal life? 

Holy Water. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was some holy water you could bathe in and come out with your sins washed away? But even then, many people would not wash in the water because they enjoy living in sin. There is plenty of soap for sale, but some people still refuse to take a bath. In Jerusalem you can see mivkvehs outside the southern wall where people would bathe before entering the temple. These were possibly also used to baptize the thousands who received Jesus as their saviour at Pentecost. Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. These three thousand new believers were baptized because in his sermon Peter had said: Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. While some Christians today insist that the baptism water saves your soul I want to focus on the blood of Christ. A person cannot have their sins washed away until they repent of their sins and call on the Lord asking Him to save them. At the last supper Jesus said:  Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Jesus allowed His blood to flow from the wounds on His body so He could be the final sacrifice for sin. In the Old Testament an innocent clean animal had to shed its blood to cleanse repentant sinners. Leviticus 1:5  And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. Hebrews 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Since the death and resurrection of Jesus animal blood is of no value for forgiveness. The blood that Jesus shed on that bad good Friday is sufficient for the forgiveness of all mankind. Only a relative few people will repent and be saved, but His blood is sufficient for the whole world. Hebrews 13:12  Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.  Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Many preachers today do not speak of the precious blood of Jesus. Are you washed in the blood?

To Die Is Gain. What’s in it for me? Unconsciously we ask that question many times a day. All decisions we make revolve around that question. What’s in it for me if I exceed the speed limit? I will get there sooner. Or I may get a ticket. If I eat this food what is the benefit? Good taste. Or heartburn. Is it worth it? The Apostle Paul arrived at the conclusion: Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. I wonder how many people think their death will bring gain? What will your death bring? If Christianity is a lie, then us Christians are the most miserable of all people. 1 Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. Are you miserable? If you live for Jesus dark supernatural powers will persistently tempt you and challenge you. Jesus has built a hedge of protection around His children. Job 1:10  Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. Evil spiritual forces oppose us. God’s supernatural forces guide and protect us. When we sin, it is similar to taking a chain saw and cutting down our spiritual hedge of protection. Every time you lose your temper. Every time you say something that hurts your witness. Every time you do that which you know you should not do, and every time you neglect to do that which Jesus has put on your heart to do… you take a spiritual chain saw and cut down some of your hedge of protection. Repentance and prayer confessing our sins build that hedge back. But many bad things may have come through your broken border which will hurt you in the future. That is why we must keep our border closed. We must keep our hedge healthy. But Paul says, “To die is gain.” I’m just dying to go to Heaven. What glory. To see the one who died for me. Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. A new body. No more ankle biting demons. (or demon influenced deacons.) What glory awaits us. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. And if not? What if Christianity is fiction? Then down here in this life I am enjoying supernatural peace, loving brothers and sisters, innumerable blessings, joy, strength, freedom from guilt, fullness of the Holy Spirit guiding me to the truth and the promises I am standing on when I stand on the Word of God, the Bible. Yes, supernatural misery. But also, supernatural blessings. Yes, even if Heaven is a myth I am still enjoying my Christianity. But Jesus in my heart assures me this is not a myth.

 

No mailbox. The mailbox outside our Post Office is gone. People kept breaking into it. Even with outside surveillance cameras desperate people kept breaking into it. Why are people so desperate? I suppose the simple answer is sin. Our world is filled with us sinners. Me included. While some of us are not desperate enough to steal, all of us do things that are contrary to God’s will. Perhaps much of the thievery in our society is because of drugs. The Bible told us of drug usage. Galatians 5:18-21 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.I want to focus on the sin of witchcraft. My first thought pertaining to witchcraft is sorcery, tarot cards, Ouija boards, fortune tellers, seances witches and Satan worship. While I believe witchcraft includes these things mentioned, the Greek word digs deeper. The Greek word for “witchcraft” is pharmakeia. Medication. Magic. Sorcery. Poisoning. We get the word “pharmacy” from it. Witchcraft and drugs go hand in hand. Do you know anyone who uses drugs? I am referring to drugs which are not legal.  Drugs are beneficial. I thank God for prescription drugs that helped me endure the recovery of knee replacement. It is sad that many normal people who are not injured or enduring pain for some reason such as surgery desire drugs to just help them get through the day. Medication. Poisoning. Some people offering someone else a drink says, “What’s your poison?” Perhaps they don’t realize just how accurate their question is. It is sad to think about the people who went to an early grave because of drugs. Many of these people were rich and famous. On top of the world. Elvis Presley. Marilyn Monroe. John Belushi. Heath Ledger. River Phoenix. Hank Williams. Janis Joplin. Chris Farley. Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Jimi Hendrix. Judy Garland. Whitney Houston. Prince. Amy Winehouse. Anna Nicole Smith. Michael Jackson. Tom Petty. Then consider the average people that are not popular who have lost their life to drugs. Consider the people who have committed suicide because the prescription drug they were taking caused them to consider suicide. Medical doctors must closely monitor the people they write certain prescriptions to, or they may lose their medical license. What is the force behind all of this sadness? Satan. Many people don’t believe he exists. How pleased he must be. Many of us have found supernatural joy, peace, calmness, strength and hope since we asked Jesus to save us. The presence of His Holy Spirit living in our hearts destroys the need for drugs to help us get through the day. Have you trusted Him? 

Screaming at night. He wakes up screaming almost every night. He was the Captain of one of the ships attacked at Pearl Harbor. I met his son in 1966 when being trained as a medical corpsman for the Army. His son had been drafted and was training to be a medic. He told me his father was haunted by that terrible day at Pearl Harbor. His father had given the command to seal the lower compartments in an effort to save the ship. Screams of the trapped men could be heard. Sounds of hammers pounding the metal walls echoed through the ship. Men pleading for the doors to be opened so they could escape. Eventually the screams and the pounding ceased. Life was over for the trapped men. This retired captain could not escape the horror of that day. He did that which he was trained to do. He was obedient to the commander he reported to. But he had to live with the memory and nightmares of that horrible day. We all have things in our lives that we regret. We all will have to give an account of our words and actions. Mark 4:22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. Have you been faithful to the Lord? Are you being faithful? We cannot undo our past, but we can have forgiveness if we cast our cares on Jesus.  1 Peter 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Jesus knows what you have been through. He understands if you have post traumatic stress syndrome. Our sins and sometimes orders we have obeyed drag us down. We all have regrets. No matter how much we are ashamed of past events Jesus still loves us. He pleads with us to turn to Him.  Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Do you understand that even though you have broken His heart by sinning He still loves you? He still wants you? He wants to adopt you into His family? Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Is it clear to you that God wants to adopt you into His family? No matter who you are. What you have done. How bad you regret your past. Jesus died for your sins. He is calling you to repentance. John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. You cannot change the past, but you can have a new birth. 1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. You can be born again if you will repent and ask Him to save you. 

He was intoxicated. Montgomery County Texas has a wonderful toll way. A concrete barrier separates vehicles traveling in opposite directions. It is a safe place to travel. However, a drunk driver caused a head on collision. He was traveling on the wrong side on a Sunday morning shortly after 10 o’clock. These things ought not to be. I have an idea. Let’s prohibit alcoholic drinks. Surely that will stop drunk driving. Oh, but wait. It seems we have tried that before. Oh yes American prohibition. We outlawed liquor but somehow people still were able to get it. There were those willing to break the law to brew the poison and there were those willing to break the law in order to purchase and consume the poison. Our country finally gave up trying to legislate morality. At least in that area. Us sinners are sinners, and we are determined to live the way we desire even if we must cross the line and commit a crime. There are reasons we have laws. No matter how many laws we pass there will still be some who think the advantage of breaking the law outweighs the penalty of the law. When will we ever learn that laws do not stop all crime. The lure for the thing’s money can buy motivates criminals to smuggle drugs, smuggle people, sell people into sex slavery, rob stores, loot businesses, cheat, murder, lie and live a godless life. Money is not the root of all evil. The love of money is. 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Seeking money and pleasure has been the doom of many people since the world was created. Can we ever find peace and satisfaction? Paul found it. Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. One definition of “content” in the Greek of the New Testament is “needing no assistance.” Did Paul need assistance? Actually, with Jesus living in His heart he was content.  Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.  The presence of the Holy Spirit in our heart eliminates the need for intoxicating drugs and drinks for many of us. Hebrews 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee .Jesus sealed in our heart gives us contentment beyond comprehension. Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Is Jesus sealed in your heart?

 

Their snowmobiles are loud. These missionaries ride their snowmobiles into villages in the Ukraine where snowmobiles have never been seen before. Their transportation was given to them by Missionary Ventures International to help take the Good News that Jesus saves to remote parts of the world. Can you imagine living somewhere so remote that snowmobiles are unheard of? And can you imagine the excitement of two of them roaring into town? I imagine most of the village comes out to see what is going on. And then they are told about Jesus. They are given Bibles donated by a Christian organization called Global Christian Relief . This organization has given away over 3.5 million Bibles in the countries’ native tongue. They even smuggle Bibles into countries that forbid the Bible. Perhaps for the first time in their life people hear about Jesus. His love. His forgiveness. His eternal life. How wonderful to tell others about Jesus. How I thank God for Christians who live the great commission.  Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. You and I are called to be witnesses. We have the opportunity to support Christian missionaries though many organizations. One of my favorites is called “Run For The Son.” The first Saturday in May members of the Christian Motorcyclists Association have a special day to turn in the offerings they have received for this missionary outreach. Every penny of the Run for the Son offering goes to evangelistic outreach. No salaries. No office expenses. Every penny to evangelistic outreach. Worldwide. Some of the money goes to witnessing bikers at motorcycle rallies. Last year (2023) they led 7,908 to receive Christ as their Saviour. Some of the offering goes to Missionary Ventures International which gives transportation to preachers and missionaries in other countries. Over 8,841 motorcycles have been given to rural pastors in other countries. 7,381  bicycles given to to minister with. Boats, camels, snowmobiles and even Yaks to minister to the people who live above the tree line in the Himalayan mountains. Another recipient of the Run For The Son donation goes to The Jesus Film Project. This film based on the Gospel of Luke is the first message about Jesus in their native language many people have ever seen. It is estimated that 19 million people have received Christ as a result of seeing this film. If you feel led to contribute to this outreach, anytime during the year, please make a check out to “Run For The Son” and give it to any CMA member. It can be exciting to follow Jesus.