Archive for December 16th, 2007
Read The Directions by Gene McGuire (Saturday, December 21, 2007)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5,6)
COMMENT: Recently I had an “eye-opening” experience. (Pun intended) I have used Bausch & Lomb Eye Wash for years and I suspect you have too. However, the other day was the first time I stopped to read the instructions. They told me to do something that I had never done before. (Wow, everybody knows how to use eye wash. . .or so you would think!) I was directed to “Rinse cup with Bausch & Lomb eye wash immediately before and after each use.” My practice was to rinse the cup with water before use and just put the cup back into the cabinet after I was finished. Now I don’t imagine that I have suffered any great harm doing it my way. However, we will be up the creek without a paddle if we neglect to heed one set of instructions. God has given us Christians the key to living a successful and overcoming life, but some of us are not reading His directions. In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul talks about the affect of being immature Believers because they are not rooted and grounded in God’s Word. Don’t take Frank Sinatra’s advice in his famous recording of “I Did It My Way”.
SCRIPTURE STUDY:1 Cor. 3:1-7
WISE SAYING: MAN’S WAY LEADS TO A HOPELESS END — GOD’S WAY LEADS TO AN ENDLESS HOPE.
Now Behold The Lamb (Signing) (You Tube Video)(Friday, December 20, 2007)
NO FEAR HERE! by Gene McGuire (Friday, December 19, 2007)
“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything; but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.(Philippians 4:6,7) Amplified Bible
COMMENT: I wouldn’t call it a real scientific survey, but going through my Strong’s Concordance I found 34 “fear not’s” in the 66 books of the Bible. It seems to me that God is not making a suggestion, it sounds more like a command to me. Therefore, I believe that it is a sin for Christians to continually live in fear. I use the word “continually” because we will never be totally perfected until Jesus comes again. The devil cannot create anything, God is the Creator. The enemy takes what has been created by God and perverts it. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. (Romans 10:17); fear comes by hearing the word of the devil. When we allow fear to overwhelm our thinking we are giving place to the devil. (Ephesians 4:27) What was it that Job said? Oh, I remember: “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:25) Immediate replace thoughts of fear with the encouraging and victorious Word of God.
SCRIPTURE STUDY: Romans 8:37, 1 Cor. 15:57, 2 Timothy 1:7 and 1 John 4:18,
WISE SAYING: EVERY PERSON PRECONDITIONS HIS LIFE BY WHAT HE THINKS, WHAT HE BELIEVES AND WHAT HE SAYS.
Be Radically Saved! by Gene McGuire (Thursday, December 19, 2007)
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
“…well done good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)
COMMENT:You probably are aware that the Hubble Space Telescope is really getting up in age. It was launched on April 24, 1990. The NASA will send a space shuttle crew to upgrade and repair that marvelous invention for which they have big future plans. Well, all of you are aware that I turned 71 last month, so I would like to share with you the effect that birthday is having on me. When I make my verbal affirmations about my life, I declare that I will live to a ripe old age of 120. Now I truly am aware that the time of my demise is not in my hands; my Heavenly Father has already set the date. But this recent birthday has gotten me to start some very serious thinking about my spiritual situation. I want to move up to a higher level in my pursuit of righteousness. I want to be “radically saved”. When I meet Jesus face to face I don’t want to be ashamed before Him. (1 John 2:28). I want to receive all the rewards that are available. This desire is not from a selfish point of view. It would mean that, while on this earth, I will had been a good steward wisely using the gifts, talents and abilities the Lord loaned me while here on earth. So like the Hubble, I have a future mission far above the earth and we both need to be put into “tip top” shape.
SCRIPTURE STUDY: 1 Cor. 3:11-15
WISE SAYING: I OFTEN WONDERED WHY OLDER CHRISTIANS ARE SUCH AVID STUDENTS OF THE BIBLE. NOW I KNOW. . .THEY ARE GETTING READY FOR THEIR FINAL EXAM.
Post Script: Those of you who are a long ways away from 71, don’t wait until that age to start thinking like me. Please know that I’m not being morbid, but today is the only day promised us. Remember that rich man in Luke 12:16-20?
Not a sermon, just a thought!
Psalm 3 (For Thou O Lord Art A Shield For Me) by The Gateway College Choir (You Tube Video)(Wednesday, December 18, 2007)
