Week Thirty, 2024

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:33-34).

I love it when something that Jesus said is so clear.

• He didn’t say seek Him first, but after your second cup of coffee

• He didn’t say seek Him first, but after you’ve read the paper or watched your favorite morning news show

• He didn’t say seek Him first, but not before your spouse and/or family

• He didn’t say seek Him first, but not before your career, professional goals or work

• He didn’t say seek Him first, just behind any personal goals and dreams you might have

• He didn’t say seek Him first, just behind all the church work and church stuff you’ve got to accomplish

• He didn’t say seek Him first, but only if all your personal needs and desires are satisfied

• He didn’t say seek Him first, but only if you don’t have anything better to do

• He didn’t say seek Him first, but only if you feel like it

• He didn’t say seek Him first, if you feel Him close on the mountain top or if you’ve hit rock bottom in the valley

• He didn’t say seek Him first, but only after you fret and worry about it first

He said “seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness…” In the midst of a passage where He is telling us not to worry about our life, what we will eat or drink, our body or what we will wear, Jesus said, “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

What is it (or who is it) that you are putting before your relationship with God?

What is it (or who is it) that you are seeking first? Marty Stubblefield

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

According to the New York Times, we have the good fortune to be part of what is probably the greatest improvement in life expectancy, nutrition, and health that has ever unfolded in one lifetime.

Here is one example: one hundred years ago, President Calvin Coolidge’s sixteen-year-old son developed a blister on a toe while playing tennis on the White House court. It became infected, and without antibiotics, the boy died within a week. Today, as Kristof reports, “the most impoverished child in the United States on Medicaid has access to better health care than the president’s son did a century ago.

ABORTION:

• Indiana Abortions Drop 98% as Abortion Ban Saves Hundreds of Babies.

• Planned Parenthood Brought in $2.9 Billion Last Year, Killed 1,075 Babies in Abortions Every Day. Planned Parenthood Killed 392,715 Babies in Abortions Last Year, a Record Number

— o —

U.S. Fertility Rate Reaches Record Low in 2023:

National Review: The U.S. fertility rate hit a new record-low last year, continuing a persistent trend that will have significant consequences for American society. The total fertility rate dropped to 1.62 births per woman last year, a 2 percent decline from the year before, according to newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control. The figure is below replacement level, meaning Americans are not having enough children to replace themselves, a development with major implications for the American economy. The total fertility rate recorded by the CDC is the lowest since the U.S. government began tracking it nearly a century ago (National Review). CDC: The rate has generally been below replacement since 1971 and consistently below replacement since 2007 (CDC).

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

It doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself. Lucille Ball

John Steinbeck won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel, The Grapes of Wrath. When he was asked if his novel is “Jewish propaganda,” he replied: “It happens that I am not Jewish and have no Jewish blood . . . I can prove these things of course—but when I shall have to—the American democracy will have disappeared.

The world may be broken, but all is not lost…because of all He has done. Calvary’s always enough! Scott Whitaker

We have all failed in some way in our relationship with the Lord. We have done things or are even now doing things that cause the Lord to work in a way in our life that He may not have wanted for us. Elbert Nasworthy

Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired. Jules Renard

Here is a humanistic culture without God. It is egotism and pride centered in man; this culture has lost the concept not only of God, but of man as one who loves his brother. Francis Schaeffer

Many people serve God in invisible behind the scenes ways. Jim Wilson

Jesus is the bridge between God and man. Dan Shock

Life becomes easier and more beautiful when we can see the good in other people. Roy T. Bennett

Stand for something. Always have class and be humble. John Madden

Those who receive the blessing of God, worship God. Worship the Lord God. Edgar Aponte

Not once in the Bible does it say worry about it, stress over it, or figure it out. But over and over, it clearly says to trust God.

The only rational thing to do when one encounters the beauty of a rose is to breathe in its fragrance and say: “That is a creation of my God.” Dan Shock

The Flesh can never be satisfied. Florida Marketplace Ministry

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. Epicurus

It is the responsibility of every saved one to share the way to be saved so that the great commission of Jesus to preach the gospel to all will be complied with. Stephen Bernard

We may say those statements in our minds, say them in our heart of hearts, even say them out loud for all to hear, but do our actions match our declarations? If I say that I trust in the Lord, but my life is riddled with worry and doubt (more than our questions and concerns), what does that declare about my faith in Jesus? Marty Stubblefield

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Your feedback is welcome. Feel free to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2024

—The final story that I want to share with you takes place at a spot that tourists never visit. It’s not a tourist site. It could be if they built it up that way, but it’s near the Arab village of Beitin in the West Bank, the biblical city of Bethel. Thankfully, I’ve been able to go there on each of the trips that I’ve taken to Israel. There’s a hill between Bethel and Ai that the Bible describes in Genesis 15 where God gives Abraham a glimpse of the land, saying, “Look north, south, east, west. I will give this land to your descendants,” which comforts Abraham in a great way. This is the passage where Abraham believed in God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. This happens at a place between Bethel and Ai, and there’s only one hill between Bethel and Ai that could possibly be it. It’s marked today by the ancient ruins of a Byzantine church that Origen, a third-century, Christian scholar, refers to as the spot where this encounter with God happened. Later in Genesis 28, Jacob comes to the very same spot where he has his vision of a ladder with angels ascending and descending on it between heaven and earth.

—On one of my trips there, our group pulled up in a big tour bus. The people living there must have been wondering what was going on because this is not a tourist place. Our group leader had done some archaeological work there years earlier, and he wanted to take us there. But now we needed a bathroom break, so we stopped at a gas station in Beitin, a Palestinian gas station, and everybody unloads. They don’t have a restroom for the public, but there’s a rickety toilet in the back behind a curtain. The owners of that little convenience store were so kind to let us use it. I told our people to try to buy something to show our thanks to them and many did. 

—Then we headed over to the nearby Byzantine church that marks the spot. It’s not more than a mile away, and while we’re at the church, talking and discussing the site, a white van pulls up at the base of the hill. A few men hop out of the van and start walking up towards us. I know that all my fellow Minnesotans with me are getting very nervous because we are in the middle of nowhere where tourists do not go. They’re wondering what’s going to happen. They’ve heard all the horror stories about the violence in Israel.

—The men came closer and closer and closer to us. Then one of them reaches into his coat and pulls something out. It’s a box of fresh dates! He takes off the plastic wrapping, opens it up and passes them out to us as a gift.

—I recognized one of the men from the convenience store, so this was obviously their way of thanking us for giving them business. Hospitality is still an enormous deal in the Middle East. It’s a big part of their culture. It was very kind of them and they were by far the best dates I have ever had in my life. So, thank you, men of Beitin. Thank you very much!

—Adam Keim

Week Twenty-Nine, 2024

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4:31-32).

It was a schedule crowded day and this pastor, who I personally knew, had a pre-marital counselling conference he really didn’t want to do. On top of that, the couple was late. While he waited in not a very happy mood for them to show up, he sat down at the piano to pass the time away. While sitting there, he pecked out a hymn that has since become an all-time great.

The song was Fill My Cup Lord. His name was Richard Blanchard. Blanchard’s method of composition was to write the words to his pieces after developing a thought or reading Scripture, and then to write the music “by ear” to fit the words rather than composing the melody on paper. His music combines the chords and harmonies of the Big Band era with the Christian message of southern gospel music.

Blanchard’s own cup was not filled with sweetness. A lung condition required two surgeries and left him with one-third of normal lung capacity. His son, Richard, was left a quadriplegic at seventeen after an accident. And after Blanchard and his wife moved to North Carolina in 2000 to be near their three grown children, they experienced their son’s death and the fatal illness of one of their daughters.

Nevertheless, during his forty-year ministry, Blanchard composed dozens of gospel hymns, wrote a musical about Francis of Assisi, produced a regular newspaper column, wrote a biography of Bishop John Branscomb, and launched a popular television ministry in the Miami area.

It all began with the annoyance of a couple late for an appointment. Sometimes God takes the time we sought to kill and by a kind of quiet miracle turns it into something that will live forever.

What is your “fill my cup prayer”?

Jesus, I come to you knowing that I cannot fill the emptiness inside me or make me whole. I am coming to you because you have already made this possible for me. So, I bring you, my empty cup Lord, since I thirst and hunger for your fullness, and the word says that I will be filled. Fill my cup, Lord.

Whenever you feel annoyed, God can use that time to do great things. Never forget that.

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

I know that I don’t have the answers about how to fix the ills of society, especially a society where human life seems to mean so little and hate seems to run so deep.

But I think I know where to start. It begins with you and me… with us. It starts with faith, hope and love… It continues by stepping up and shining a light into the darkness, and truly loving the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength… and then, loving our neighbor as ourselves.

Darkness is defined as the absence of light. Light cannot be extinguished by darkness.

We have to change our hearts and our mindsets. And then that moves to loving action… We have to act to bring about change. Marty Stubblefield

— o —

Jesse Morgan is the pastor of Green Pond Bible Church in Rockaway, New Jersey. He and his family were on the first week of his sabbatical, vacationing in Maine. According to his six-year-old daughter Lucy, it was “the best week of her life.”

Then tragedy struck: the kids were playing badminton when the racket being used by her ten-year-old brother came apart and the shaft flew into her skull. She was rushed to a hospital, but died four days later.

Four weeks earlier, she asked her mother “how to be with God and be saved.” Her mother explained the gospel, then Lucy went into her room, where she trusted in Christ. She wrote in her prayer journal, “God is so amazing, and he is the true God and he created everything and he died on the cross for our sins.”

Now, as her father wrote, she is “with Jesus.”

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Those who receive the blessing of God, worship God. Edgar Aponte

If a hummingbird can find food in the midst of a rainstorm, God will help me find food for my soul. Dwight Short

People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things. Edmund Hillary

God is faithful, even when we are not. Edgar Aponte

Pursue what catches your heart, not what catches your eyes. Roy T. Bennett

Regarding your Christian faith, don’t be a reservoir; be a river. Rob Taylor

Truth is beautiful, without doubt; but so are lies. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Worshiping and thanking our God who, is our salvation through His Son Jesus, is something we do because He is worthy of our worship and praise. Elbert Nasworthy

What we learn from history is that people don’t learn from history. Warren Buffet

Peace comes when we turn those overwhelming issues over to God and cease trying to dictate the outcome. Dan Shock

What is a soul? It’s like electricity – we don’t really know what it is, but it’s a force that can light a room. Ray Charles

Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.

It is love that causes God to be so patient and longsuffering with the wicked, giving opportunity after opportunity for them to turn, to repent, to change. Florida Marketplace Ministries

To care for those who once cared for us is one of life’s highest honors. Tia Walker

Walking is man’s best medicine. Hippocrates

Get happiness out of your work or you may never know what happiness is. Elbert Hubbard

Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way. Booker T. Washington

Prayer is for God’s will to be done. The part we play is that we ask and then accept His will in the matter in which we pray. This is not a difficult concept, but it is one in which we often struggle. The struggle is in that prayer is often considered a manner in which God provides for a request made. The idea being, that if asked, God grants the requested answer to a prayer. In a very real sense, that is exactly what occurs. However, the truth is that the prayer must align with His will. Elbert Nasworthy

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Your feedback is welcome. If you want to contribute your ideas and thoughts, address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2024

On-Site in Israel:

—Another one of my favorite spots to visit in Israel is Jericho. You can’t overstate the importance of Jericho in biblical history for the people of Israel. It was the first site they took during their conquest of Canaan, according to God’s promise. As you know God parted the waters of the Jordan River so His people could cross over, and God took down the defensive walls of Jericho.  

—When you visit Jericho today, a keen archaeological eye can look around and realize that what happened there is only explainable by how the Bible states it. You can dig anywhere with your own bare hands in the hill of Jericho, and you will find pottery shards and ancient bricks. When there are any digs—and there aren’t many digs in Jericho these days, although there have been a few major ones—whenever they have dug, it’s been easy to find big jars of scorched barley. That’s because before the conquest, the people of Jericho took all their crops into the city to try to withstand the siege that they expected to happen.

Any military expert would know that you had better take the spoils and the food to feed your own army before moving on to the next target. But, of course, you know that Israel didn’t take all the stuff. They burnt the city. They destroyed it just as God told them to do. Also, when you walk around the collapsed walls of the city, you’ll see that they all fell outwards, and you can see the Canaanitic mud bricks.

What you’ll find in Jericho lines up exactly with how the Bible describes the beginning of the conquest. There’s no other way to explain it by logic. It can’t be explained by what people would logically do in a military campaign or by an earthquake or by anything like that. No other explanation comes close to what you see with your own two eyes, for it lines up with the Bible.

—On my first trip to Jericho, we ate at a restaurant before touring the biblical site. A friendly, gregarious, Palestinian man came and welcomed us, and he gave us some free, cool beverages because it was hot out. He was very friendly and he would joke with us, telling us that he’s the king of Jericho. We found out later that he was the mayor of the modern city of Jericho, so I actually conversed with the mayor of Jericho.

—On my second trip, I was at Jericho with a group from my church, and our senior pastor was with us. We were climbing up a hill, going up into the city. God knocked down the walls of Jericho, destroying them in such a way that as they fell they provided a convenient ramp-like structure for the people of ancient Israel to charge up and into the city.

You can walk up the hill of Jericho today, literally on the same Canaanitic bricks that Joshua and the Israelites climbed up on, though today they are, of course, a lot more brittle. Now around 3,500 years later, we were walking up a hillside, and my pastor’s foot slipped a little bit. He slid down a couple feet, destroying several of the bricks. He felt really bad, but I told him, “Pastor, it’s okay!  God wanted these destroyed. You’re carrying on God’s will, right? You’re part of the destruction of Jericho, you know.”

—So that’s how I tried to comfort him.

—Adam Keim

Week Twenty-Eight, 2024

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken (Psalms 34:18).

In my younger years, scouting was very much a part of my life, and I attained the rank of Eagle. Our troop was a great one and all of the leaders were veterans of World War II, so they ran the troop like they ran the military. I never understood why, but we always closed every troop meeting with the singing of Taps.

Later in life, as I developed spiritually, I drew the spiritual attachment. Taps closed the day that was done as the sun set below the horizon. It was the end of the day and celebrated that all was well. It is often played at burials signifying the end of a life. The final bugle call of the day on military installations, Taps is played at military bases as a signal to service members that it is quiet time for “lights out”.

Day is done, gone the sun,

From the hills, from the lake, from the skies.

All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

The key to me is “God is nigh.” This is a reminder that God is close to those who place their hope and trust in His promises. God’s word is Truth and He cannot lie so if we take Him at His word He will hear our cries for help and respond as He draws near to us because of His great love for us. Nigh is an old-fashioned word that can be used as an adjective or adverb to mean near.

James 4:8 tells us to draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. James promised that when we resist Satan, he will leave. In verse 8, James calls us to draw near—to move closer—to God. This comes with an additional promise: God will respond by moving closer to us. That’s an incredible act of mercy on God’s part.

What was causing fights and quarrels among the Christians to whom James was writing? They were living by the world’s wisdom. This false perspective says human beings should do whatever it takes to get what they want in this life, even if it hurts other people. James says that to live that way is adultery, but God gives grace. Christians should repent and move close to God again. We should trust Him to provide, to be the Judge, and to lift us up in His time. In humility, we must acknowledge that all of our plans are dependent on Him, and He can change them at any moment.

So, the message of taps is to make sure when the day is done, as we pillow our head and cover ourselves with the cover of God, all is well because God is nigh.

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:5-6 NIV).

In this passage in Romans, Paul describes the classic battle between the flesh and the Spirit. Really asking the following:

“On what is your mind set? On what are you focused on? Satisfying your own flesh desires or what the Holy Spirit desires?”

Our families are growing up in a society that has already been through the “ME” generation and the X and Y Generation that, while doing some good things, saw the deterioration and graying of moral values. Through those generations, it became all about ME. Satisfying my own desires first and foremost. With little regard to the needs or feelings of others.

That’s why I like such movements as the “I Am Second” movement. The movement that has famous actors, athletes, CEOs sharing why they are second and God is first. These kinds of things send a great reminder of who we are supposed to be as followers of Jesus. As a Believer… that is, as a follower of Jesus, I need to evaluate my heart and my mindset on a daily (if not hourly) basis.

Am I being ruled by the flesh and my fleshly desires?

Am I allowing the world (or even the world around me) to form my thoughts, actions and opinions?

Am I allowing the flesh to rule my desires? Or am I being formed and shaped by the Holy Spirit living within me? Allowing the Spirit’s desire for life and peace to rule me?

Allowing my decisions, choices, actions and thoughts to be directed by the Spirit within me? It’s a classic battle that wages within us all – The Flesh vs The Spirit.

Which will you be governed by? On what is your mind set?

Marty Stubblefield

— o —

Sixty years ago I was driven to Marine Corps boot camp. The bus arrived at 1am. Our heads were shaved. We were sent to the showers and shaved our faces, some bloodied. Then to bed. At 5am we awoke to the loud clashing of garbage cans. For the next 12 weeks, I learned a vocabulary I never knew existed. I heard myself described in ways that couldn’t be me.

Fast forward to the 21st century. The vocabulary from boot camp now seems to be the norm. People can’t communicate with one another without including some invective about that person or topic. Today’s language seems to be void of cordial substance and teeming with negative emotions.

Let’s get back to civil discourse, even when we disagree. God gives us, especially followers of Christ, the ability to choose kindness over rudeness. Think how nice it would be to return to those times prior to my boot camp.

Let it start with you and me.

Rich Jensen

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Saving faith hears the Word of God and obeys God. Obey God’s Word. Edgar Aponte

Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome. Arthur Ashe

I find it interesting that there are such differing positions and thoughts on so many topics today. This is not just in the world or our nation but even in what are identified as Christian institutions and organizations. Elbert Nasworthy

I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have. Thomas Jefferson

If God calls you, are you willing to accept. Everyone wants to play first chair.

He created each and every human being and He reads the thoughts and determinations of their mind. Yet He is generous to extend salvation to all, who choose to be saved. Stephen Bernard

A day wasted on others is not wasted on one’s self. Charles Dickens

The highest art is always the most religious, and the greatest artist is always a devout person. Abraham Lincoln

Hope is necessary in every condition. Samuel Johnson

Unfortunately, the abortion industry doesn’t stop. They keep selling abortions that kill babies and hurt women.

The past does not determine our tomorrows. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father sets out all we were created to be. We are a miracle of God, created & gifted for great things. Scott Whitaker

Deeds, not stones, are the true monuments of the great. John L. Motley

We wonder why other religions have gained momentum and gained traction in a nation founded on Christian principles and values. We wonder why we continue to allow our leaders to lead us in a direction away from what we know are godly paths. We remain silent at the injustice around us. We allow the voices of the few to bully and push agendas that are contrary to what is good, and pure and right. And then we stand and wonder, in our own darkness, where God is and why He hasn’t shown Himself. Marty Stubblefield

I usually make up my mind about a man in ten seconds, and I very rarely change it. Margaret Thatcher

Be cautious. History is written by the winners.

We like to think of ourselves as seeds until we realize that to succeed, we must die to ourselves. Dwight Short

Never let go of what you do know because of something you don’t know. Dan Shock

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Your feedback is welcome. If you want to contribute your ideas and thoughts, address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2024

IS IT SAFE TO VISIT ISRAEL?

—Recently I spoke with a man for the very first time who was inquiring about a trip to Israel, and during our conversation he asked me if it’s safe to travel there. For good reason this is a topic that has come up repeatedly in my conversations with those contemplating a trip, even before the war. Well, there’s good news! After extensive, security-risk assessments many airlines have already resumed flights to Israel this year, and many more have plans to do so within the next couple of months. The airlines have concluded that it’s safe, though, of course, no one can guarantee your complete safety. Even so, here are the things I’ve been telling folks for years about Israel.

—First, Israel is a modern country with a highly-visible security presence. In the area of Jerusalem, for example, where we spend the majority of our time, there is very little street crime. Granted we do visit some areas where pickpocketers roam, but I alert our group members in advance, and members of the local police force are predictably stationed in high volume areas to protect tourists. It’s also quite common to find yourself standing behind an armed soldier or two of the Israel Defense Force in line at McDonald’s or at a coffee shop just living life, which personally makes me feel very safe.

—Second, though political agendas, religions and ethnicities differ widely across Israel, they all have one thing in common. They want to sell you something to feed their family, making them rather welcoming to tourists (though sometimes a bit annoying) no matter where you travel.

—Third, as I often say, there are likely places in your own hometown that you avoid after dark. Obviously, Israel has those places as well, so we just don’t go there.

—Fourth, I had a missionary once tell me that you’d be safer in the middle of a civil war in his country inside the will of God than at home on your couch outside the will of God. The same is true for Israel. If you believe that God has called you to go, then go. He holds you in his hands!

—Lastly, I always ask group members upon their return home if they ever felt unsafe while in Israel, and people have always said that they felt perfectly safe.

—I hope that helps and let us know when you’re ready to go.

—Daniel McCabe

Week Twenty-Seven, 2024

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

It was several decades ago, but I was shocked and remember it as though it happened yesterday. Three of us were on our way to do missionary work behind the Iron Curtain. We stopped along the way in Yugoslavia to visit a pastor and stay in his home. The cab dropped us off at his doorstep and we proceeded inside. Shortly there was a knock at the door, and it was the police. The pastor was told that he couldn’t have guests in his home, and we were ordered out onto the street.

As I sat on my suitcase on the sidewalk trying to decide where to go, I pondered what had just happened. That would never happen in America, the land of the free. Suddenly, my chest swelled, and I had a feeling of immense pride. I was an American and so proud of it.

US flag

This week, we celebrate the drafting and ratification of the Declaration of Independence. I have stood before the original in the National Archives in Washington. The fifty-six delegates who signed the Declaration of Independence came to be known as the nation’s Founding Fathers, and the Declaration has become one of the most circulated, reprinted, and influential documents in world history. Most of those men ultimately gave their lives and property for the cause of freedom.

The Declaration of Independence has proven an influential and globally impactful statement on human rights, particularly its second sentence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

We are endowed by our creator, almighty God. The grace of God reaches the worst of people and there is more mercy in Christ than there is sin in me. There are many nations, but only one God. Much diversity but one God. 1. There are many nations, but there’s only one God, and He is Lord over all. That is where we are endowed with our freedom.

We are Americans, but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20.

So the celebration of the 4th of July is not about fun and fireworks, rather it is a time we celebrate who we are and whose we are and who endowed us with the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.

Every Fourth of July, I think of that day sitting on the streets, evicted and in a dark country where freedoms were unknown and I celebrate that I am an American. I love my country and I love the God who endowed our freedom.

I am ever so thankful, to be living here today because the flag still stands for freedom, and they can’t take that away. I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free and I won’t forget the men who died and gave that right to me and I’d gladly stand and defend Her still today. There’s not a doubt I love this land. God Bless the U.S.A.

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Years ago, there was a movie called “Courageous”. One of the men, who was a main character, was up for a promotion to manager along with several others. They were called in for interviews and told that they would have to falsify invoices to protect senior management as a condition of the promotion.

Because he was a new Christian, he was conflicted as to what to do. The promotion would greatly benefit his family, but the condition went against his beliefs. The next day he told them that he wouldn’t cheat to get the position. Since he was the only one to demonstrate such honesty, they made him the manager.

As believers, we are expected to walk following the tenets of our faith. Sometimes, as with the man mentioned, we are rewarded for our honesty. But sometimes we may not be. However, the outcome should not be the determiner of our actions.

Whether rewarded in this life or not, when we face our Savior, Jesus Christ, we want to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” That’s the reward which is greater than any we could receive now.

Will you hear it? Rich Jensen

— o —

Using government issued ID:

ID

— o —

AAA labels Memorial Day through Labor Day as the 100 deadliest days. There are over 11.7 million USA drivers ages 15-20 and if you know what’s good for you, you will stay out of their way.

— o —

AGING: 11,000 Americans turn 65 EVERY DAY! Per the U.S. Census, this means approximately 1 in 6 Americans are over 65 or 55 million people!

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

God desires availability more than our ability.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

How many countries can call their former enemies from war their friends? Think Germany, Viet Nam, Japan…maybe we do understand forgiveness! Dwight Short

People seldom become famous for what they say until after they are famous for what they’ve done. Cullen Hightower

The price of greatness is responsibility. Winston Churchill

The only difference between a yard sale and taking out the trash is how close you place it to the street.

If you haven’t got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble. Bob Hope

When God fulfills His Word concerning the end times and begins to pour out His judgment upon the earth, people will know that He is God. Florida Marketplace Ministries

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy those are who already possess it. Francois De La Rochefoucauld

It’s so easy for us to look down on people who don’t look like us, talk like us, or think like us. What? You say the Bible indicates that Jesus died for them too? Dwight Short

We can’t solve today’s problems with the mentality that created them. Albert Einstein

Taking credit for what God has done is always a dangerous thing. Dan Shock

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy. Isaac Newton

Always choose obedience to God in all things.

Those who are blessed by God will become a blessing to others. Be a blessing by evangelizing others. Edgar Aponte

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Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Your feedback is welcome. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2024

Series: Walking around Jerusalem

—Our walk around Jerusalem is now complete as we stand before what is arguably the most photographed gate in the world and without doubt the oldest gate in the Old City’s walls. In 1999 our tour group was able to get within a few feet of this double gate from the outside. Although protected by a small iron fence, some of our group members nevertheless jumped the fence so that they could touch the gate, but these days you can’t get anywhere near it. Also called the Golden Gate (this is a story for another day) or the Gate of Mercy (the southern gate) and Repentance (the northern gate), it was built approximately seven hundred years after the time of Jesus directly over the remains of an earlier gate used to enter the temple courtyard. 

—Jews believe that one day the Messiah will enter through this gate to redeem them. Christians accept Jesus as the Messiah, and many believe that it was through this very gate that he entered on Palm Sunday and that he will reenter at his second coming. Muslims believe that the final resurrection and judgment will take place here, and so this gate holds enormous significance for all three faiths.

—The gate was sealed by the Arabs in 810 A.D. to deny unsupervised access to the Temple Mount to unbelievers although the gate was unblocked during the Crusader period each year for the celebrations of Palm Sunday and the Exaltation of the Cross. At the close of the Crusader period in the late twelfth century the gate no longer served any religious or practical purpose and it has remained closed to this day.

—Daniel McCabe

Week Twenty-Six, 2024

It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name (Rev 13:16-17).

The retail giant, Amazon, has recently introduced a new method of shopping. Right in the comfort of your own home, you can take a picture of your hand and upload it. Then when you want to shop you submit a picture of your hand and it is matched, much like fingerprints.

Already one food chain has eliminated any cash transactions. You have to use a credit card and they are introducing the palm print method so credit cards can be phased out. This is scary. When universally adopted in the move to a cashless society, whoever controls the system can control your access to things you want to buy…. necessities like food, gad and medical help.

Many are now promoting universal “chipping”, like we do for our dogs as mandatory for all newly born babies. They cite many good reasons, like identity, medical information and the list goes on. However, the big negative is that whoever controls the system can control you.

Many American corporations are now requiring a “company chip” to be inserted as a condition of employment. The chip is as small as a grain of rice and can be inserted on less than thirty seconds between the thumb and index finger.

Revelation speaks about the “mark of the beast” and the consequences.: It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name (Rev 13:16-17).

Think about it. With this modern technology, lives can be controlled and wars can be won or lost. Forget the nuclear and write it off as old fashioned. Wars will be controlled at the computer at “Chip Central”.

Is Revelation coming or is it already here? Beware, I think it is here and growing by leaps and bounds. Are you prepared to respond as “chipping” becomes a requirement to shop or work.

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Reaching your goals and dreams takes more than just doing what is expected of you, as good and as hard as that may be. Exceeding your goals and dreams is about doing what is expected and then some.

It’s about taking personal responsibility for it.

It’s about owning it.

It’s about more than just dreaming Big Dreams.

It’s about dedicating yourself to doing exceedingly more than what is expected.

It’s about striving to reach and exceed those Big Dreams.

It’s about attacking those Dreams. Marty Stubblefield

— o —

A statue of Rev. Billy Graham was recently unveiled in the US Capitol. The likeness depicts Dr. Graham gesturing toward an open Bible in his hand. Its base is inscribed with two verses of Scripture:

• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

• “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me” (John 14:6).

Visitors to our nation’s capital will therefore encounter the gospel every time they see Dr. Graham’s statue. This is consistent with the evangelist’s statement during his final sermon in June 2005 at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York:

I have one message—that Jesus Christ came, he died on a cross, he rose again, and he asked us to repent of our sins and receive him by faith as Lord and Savior, and if we do, we have forgiveness of all our sins.

When you venture out into the world, you may well find yourself in a job or a community or a social setting when you will be pressured to endorse ideas you don’t believe or to abandon core beliefs. It will be up to you to stand firm.

Does America need this “one message” more now than ever?

— o —

Only one out of four Americans get at least eight hours of sleep per night, according to a recent Gallup poll.

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

If Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world, we shouldn’t condemn the world, either. Instead, we should believe the God we believe in and thus share his truth with his grace. R. C. Sproul

Be transformed from the inside and out by adjusting your thinking to the Word and the Holy Spirit.

Worshiping and thanking our God who, is our salvation through His Son Jesus, is something we do because He is worthy of our worship and praise. Elbert Nasworthy

Peace comes when we turn those overwhelming issues over to God and cease trying to dictate the outcome. Dan Shock

Going to church doesn’t mean you are a Christian. It just means you go to church.

What is a soul? It’s like electricity – we don’t really know what it is, but it’s a force that can light a room. Ray Charles

The Spirit of God speaks the thoughts of God from the Word of God to the people of God. Have God’s brain in your head.

This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.

It is love that causes God to be so patient and longsuffering with the wicked, giving opportunity after opportunity for them to turn, to repent, to change. Florida Marketplace Ministries

To care for those who once cared for us is one of life’s highest honors. Tia Walker

Walking is man’s best medicine. Hippocrates

The only rational thing to do when one encounters the beauty of a rose is to breathe in its fragrance and say: “That is a creation of my God.” Dan Shock

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Your feedback is welcome. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2024

Week Twenty-Five, 2024

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come (Joel 2:31).

It was a dark, very dark, night and we were deep in the woods in South Africa, where there were no lights other than a bright moon. At the predicted time, with a flashlight in hand, we ventured out on to a grass runway and laid down on our backs. Slowly, as if a shade was being pulled down, the black pulled across the moon, until its bright light was totally obliterated. We could not see our hands in front of our faces. It was a total eclipse of the moon. It was the hand of God.

eclipse

What is significant about these events is that they were scheduled and predicted many years ago. For example, the next solar eclipse in America will be on August 23, 2044. These phenomena illustrated how ordered our universe is. It could have only been created and orchestrated by an intelligent designer.

Recently, there was an eclipse of the sun in the mid-afternoon. It spread across North America. At some places, it was totally dark. Things that happen at dark happened, like animals baying their good night calls.

What did the Bible say about the eclipse? Isaiah 13:10: “The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.” Ezekiel 32:7: “When I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light.”

A full solar eclipse is not just a spectacle to witness; it is a profound opportunity for inner growth and transformation. It is God in action. For those who plan to be around in 2044, put August 23 on your calendar. The eclipse is going to happen because God’s plan says it will!!

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

The Basics:

The late Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant was one of the best players in professional basketball. His workout regiment was legendry and his dedication to the fundamentals of the sport was uncompromising.

The story is told that Nike sent Alan Stein, Jr to witness one of Bryant’s workouts. When he arrived at 4:00 am, Kobe was already dripping with sweat with a warmup before the workout. For the next 45 minutes, Stein watch Bryant work on basic basketball drills.

Later Stein, who admitted he became bored just watching Bryant’s routine, asked the star of 5 championship teams and many individual awards, why he spent so much time on simple, basic drills? Kobe’s response was golden.

“Why do you think I’m the best player in the world? Because I never ever get bored with the basics.”

— o —

Words of wisdom from Edgar Aponte:

• The only way you can worship God is through His Son Jesus Christ.

• Building takes much longer than destroying.

• Sometimes the best thing we can do is wait. The Lord will never forget you.

• We are not saved by our feelings. We are saved by Jesus.

• God remembers His people, so He remembers you. Wait on Him.

• God preserves His people through the judgement of the world. The Lord will keep you.

• Believers respond with worship to God’s saving and sustaining grace. Worship the Lord!

— o —

We plan ahead for many things so that when the time comes, we are ready. We carefully plan for vacations. We plan out our career path. We plan for our new house and all its decorations. We must, like Joseph, plan for what to do when Satan tempts us to sin. We need to be so full of God’s Word that we don’t hesitate to reject Satan’s temptations. When faced with sin, flee. Be like Joseph. Rich Jensen

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

God desires availability more than our ability.

If God calls you, are you willing to accept. Everyone wants to play first chair.

A day wasted on others is not wasted on one’s-self. Charles Dickens

When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not. Mark Twain

When we don’t pray it’s us saying Declaration of Independence from God. We think we have it figured out. We need to pray

When you need to get your life in perspective, there’s no better place to go than into the house of God. Pastor Greg Murphy

Give the world the best you have, and the best will come to you. Madeline Bridges

If a hummingbird can find food in the midst of a rainstorm, God will help me find food for my soul. Dwight Short

We like to think of ourselves as seeds until we realize that to succeed, we must die to ourselves. Dwight Short

After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. Nelson Mandela

Never let go of what you do know because of something you don’t know. Dan Shock

Pursue what catches your heart, not what catches your eyes. Roy T. Bennett

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Your feedback is welcome. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2024