Nailed

"Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

Proverbs 12:18

Take a piece of wood & drive a nail down deep into it, then pull out the nail. Now you can pull that nail out pretty easy, but that hole that scar, can never be removed. Yea, you can fill it in with some wood putty, sand it down maybe even paint over it, but I promise you, that nail hole will always be there. Our words are the same, especially to a child. The way we talk to children whether they are ours or not will make a huge difference in their lives. It will make them or break them.
Jesus cared for children. When the disciples & others shooed them away, Jesus called them to come to him & rebuked (that's one of my word's from my "word for the day" calendar) the people who sent them away. Jesus knew the importance of caring for children & what our words & even a loving touch on the shoulder or pat on the back would do for them. I have always tried, to never let a child walk through the halls of our church without being spoken to. If it's a "hey bud" or a "what's up girl", I'm going to acknowledge that they are there & that I care that they are there, because I do. I do the same if I'm out somewhere & see them.
No matter how old you get, never forget the way it made you feel when someone older noticed you & cared.

Vern

Does God Keep His Receipts?

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body."
(1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

As fast as Christmas shopping & the magical way that the decorated stores along with the sounds of Christmas music piped throughout them can get you into the "It's A Wonderful Life" Christmas mood… the return process & polices of some stores, a few days after, can get you to shout "Bah Humbug" just as fast.
I found myself yesterday in the fine hustle & bustle of the glorious after Christmas return crowd. Standing in the cattle slaughter line, I finally made it to the return desk, also known as the "Customer Service Desk", which should be changed to the "We Hate You For Trying To Return An Item At Our Store, So We Will Try Our Hardest To Make You Never Want To Do It Again Desk". The nice lady behind the desk told me that I could do one of two things, seeing how I was receipt challenged…1) Find an item in the store for the exact same price, not a penny more or less. Or 2) Receive a gift card for their store that was $18 less than what was on the sticker price. Who came up with this concept? You can search our store for something that is exactly the same price or you can have a cute little card to tote around while you search our store for something $18 less.
I looked around the store & couldn't find anything to swap-out with it…but I did find out that we had a receipt for this gift. So I took back the gift planning on returning it later with the receipt so that I could retrieve the money to shop elsewhere. The funny thing was that the receipt showed that the item was bought at a discount & was actually $36 dollars less than the item was priced to begin with…AAAAUUUGGGGHHH!!!
Well, during all of that I got to thinking about why I was returning the gift in the first place. It wasn't because I didn't like it or that I didn't love the one who gave it to me. It wasn't even broken or anything. It was because I couldn't find a use for it. I wondered if God ever felt like He should have kept his receipt on me. Are there times when He doesn't find me useful? Are their times that I allow myself to become useless to Him. It's not that He doesn't like me, heck, He loves me, and He wants me to be useful. He wants all of His children to be useful. But when we allow sin to control our lives we can become unusable.
God tells us in 1Corinthians 6 that we were bought at a price, Jesus paid that price. He purchased us as His on & when we accept that, He throws away the receipt, He never plans on returning you, but He does plan on using you, in great & wonderful ways. He says that His plans for you are not to harm you, but to prosper you (Jeremiah 29:11).
God wants you to do well, He wants you to affect other people's lives, He wants you & me to be useful. Be a useful purchase…for the greatest Purchaser.

Vern

Do You Have Gas?

I drive about 64 miles round trip on the interstate, back & forth to work, while I'm driving I often see cars sitting on the shoulder with their blinkers on & someone adding gas with a gas can or maybe changing a tire. I got to thinking…I know what you're saying…"Vern thinks?" Ha Ha & LOL, you're hilarious…anyway I was thinking, those cars I encounter are all on the right road, headed in the right direction toward their planned destination, but something stopped them, something put a halt to their progress. Maybe it was something that was unexpected like a blown tire, a overheated engine or maybe it was that they ran out of gas, knowing that they were low & just praying that they could make it with out running out. I believe as Christians, we often find ourselves in the same situation, well maybe we don't have our blinkers on, I mean that would look goofy if we had blinkers & …(my bad, little A.D.D. time there). But we do often find ourselves in this same state. We are headed in the right direction, we are following God & spending time with Him daily, in His word, when all of a sudden BOOM, something happens in our life that slows us down to a stop, maybe a sickness in our family, a loss of a job, a divorce that we didn't want, a child that goes against what we've taught them, something that just blindsided us. Then we find ourselves off on that shoulder as a Christian wondering what happened & what we did wrong. In these cases there are times when we maybe at fault, but not always. It maybe that we did everything right & these things still happened. http://www.gotquestions.org/bad-things-good-people.html

There are also those times when we find ourselves on the shoulder because we were pushing it, we were almost out of gas, riding on fumes. Maybe we filled up last week but this week we didn't take the time to stop & get with God. We were just too busy, we made the decision to watch T.V. instead of reading the Bible. Maybe we just have been lazy in getting with God & filling up. When we don't we feel like we've lost something , we feel useless, we feel depressed or confused.
See, we maybe on the right road, headed the right direction to our planned destination, but what good is that, if we are sitting on the shoulder…out of gas. We can't affect others when we are in that situation. If you are feeling like you're out of gas…stop & fuel up. If we are on the interstate & broke down, we don't just sit there, we call for help & fix the problem. When things happen that we can't just fix, we depend on someone else to repair them. God is a great spiritual mechanic.
David had a time in his life that he had fallen away from God, he had made a mess. Now remember that David before his fall with Bathsheba, was a honest, sincere man of God & he was the king of God's people. But after his fall he was confronted by God through Nathan. David saw his sin & understood how far he had fallen from God. In Psalm 51 it gives us a look into David's prayer of repentance. In that prayer David ask God to do something that if you are "sitting on the shoulder" will help you. He asked God to "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation…" The "…joy of Your salvation…" If you are on that shoulder, you know Jesus as Savior & Lord, but for some reason you've fallen back, come to God & simply ask Him to restore you to the joy of His salvation…Jesus Christ.
Hey…Fuel up!!!!!!!!!

Vern

Judas is a Nard

It's weird how when we don't spend the amount of time that we should in God's
Word & in prayer with Him, how we become very cynical to others & God's work. I know from experience… I hate to say it, but I've been there more than once…Way more than once.
I was sitting here reading in John 12:1-8, the time when Mary, the girl that was Lazarus' sister… you know the dude that Jesus raised from the dead. Well anyway, Mary, Martha & Laz (I call him Laz, I like to think that we are friends) had a dinner for Jesus there in Bethany. While Jesus, Laz & his Disciples were kicked back around the table, Martha was cooking, but Mary came in & anointed Jesus' feet with this very expensive fragrant oil, they called it nard. Wait, that's what they called me in school…No that was nerd, never mind… back to the story. She poured this nard on his feet…Now this stuff was worth an entire year’s wages, probably her life savings. She poured it on his feet and wiped it off with her hair.
This is where I… Oh, I mean Judas comes in. He makes a comment about her wasting this expensive oil, & how it could be used to sell & help the poor. But Jesus knew that Judas' heart was wrong & that he didn't care about the poor, he wanted to stick the money in the treasury bag so that he could steal from it, so Jesus said to him "leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."
See, when we take our eyes off Jesus, even for a short time, we start to look for the faults in others to make ourselves look & feel good. Be careful, Satan looks for ways to lead you and me away from God, & even though we seem very active for God, we still stumble and can hurt people. "Remove the plank from your eye, before you try to remove the sawdust from your brother’s eye."

Vern

Mary did you know?

Mary did you know?

What an awesome thought…this has become my all time favorite Christmas song. It's just so amazing to think that Mary, a human being at one time, in time, held God in her hands, loved Him, nursed Him, comforted Him…it's almost too much to grasp. There's a verse in the song that says "did you know your baby boy has walked where angels trod, when you kissed your little baby…you kissed the face of God."
I often wonder if she did fully understood what was going on. I know she was told by an angel that Jesus would be the Messiah, but I don't believe even with that, that she could, as a human, fully understand the distance this salvation that she was goo goo talking to, would carry. Mary, though not to be worshiped, was truly a great woman. She was just a teenager when she was called upon to give birth to the savior of the world, she could have said no. But instead she bore the savior of the world. Check out the words to this song & meditate on them. Then get in God's Word & read the story of Jesus birth.

Mary did you know that your baby boy
would one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy
would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has
come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered, will
soon deliver you.
Mary did you know that your baby boy would
give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would
calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has
walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby, you
have kissed the face of God.
Oh Mary did you know
The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the
dead will live again.
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak,
the praises of the lamb.
Mary did you know that your baby boy
is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would
one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is
heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding is
the great I am.

Vern

What If I Just Close My Eyes & Sing To Jesus?

"Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."

(Luke 18:17)

Shane our music minister at church Sunday morning, brought our congregation a wonderful gift for Christmas, he played the guitar while his young daughter sang "Happy Birthday, Jesus" at the end of our service. His daughter is very shy, so I was shocked that she would sing in front of such a crowd, but she did without a problem. It was a great service & that was a wonderful way to end it.
Though the song was wonderful, the story that was told just before she sang was the best part. Shane said, "I told her before we practiced this morning that if she got nervous she could just look at me. She looked back at me and said, 'if I get nervous, what if I just close my eyes and sing to Jesus?"
"Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all." As we grow as Christians we need to no longer be childish or immature. But we are to never lose the honesty, love & humbleness of a child.

Vern

Rainbow Wedding Ring

A question I received once when writing for gotquestions.org 

"I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."  (Genesis 9:15-16)

QUESTION: "unless it is a poor choice of words, why would god, BEING god, NEED anything (a rainbow for instance) to remind him of anything? one may presume that god's long term memory is infinitely better than ours and would therefore not be in need of any external device!"
"Is the rainbow for OUR (that is mankind’s) purpose? in which case why wouldn’t god have said I set my bow (not because I need to remember) but so YOU'LL remember that I won’t destroy you again with a flood?" Howard

ANSWER: The rainbow could be called a sacrament, because a sacrament is a visible sign to which are annexed certain promises. The Passover feast, the brazen serpent, Gideon’s fleece, & in our day baptism & the Lord’s Supper are such signs. Dr. John Peter Lange once made the statement, "God’s eye of grace & our eye of faith meet in the sacraments".
A wedding ring is a reminder of a marriage. Though someone wears it as a reminder, they never once will forgot that they were married, in fact if it wasn’t on their finger, they'd still remember their ceremony & the promises made. But every time they look at it, it reminds them of the vows that they made to the one they love. I believe that, that’s the way God sees the rainbow, but with much more love. So no it’s not a "poor choice of words", but a statement of love from the God who created you, the God who longs for you to know him personally & for you to be His child.
A man once told of a time that he was traveling by plane across the country & going over a storm. The plane was up where the sun was shining, & all of a sudden he saw a rainbow that went all the way around, a complete circle. I guess that’s the way God always sees it. Kind of like a large wedding ring. Cool huh?


Vern

Who do you hang with?

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
"Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."
(Psalm 1:1-6)

How important is the company you keep? Very if you base it on scripture. In my short life span of 37 years, & my ministering with youth & in the jails, I have also come to the conclusion that it is very important who you…for the lack of a better term…hang with. God tells us in the scripture above that those who do not walk with the "wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers" will be blessed. What does it mean, the word blessed? The word actually used here is the word 'asher, it means "blessed" or "happy". Happy is the man who does not do these things. You can't be happy walking this path, this is a path of descent. It's a lifestyle that will bring you down, never up.
It starts with walking in the counsel of the wicked, this is taking advice from those who walk in their own understanding, ones who do as they see fit. Proverbs 14:12 says: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." The way that seems right to man, if it is not right to God, then it is not right at all. For some reason people will take counsel from those type of people, & when they do, it will not be counsel for their good. I heard today of a man & woman who are taking marriage counseling from an ungodly counselor, who has been married 3 times himself. He maybe experienced in marriage…but it ain't in keeping one together.
From the taking advice from the ungodly or wicked, it says that the next step down will be standing "in the way of sinners", the word sin means to "miss the mark". These people do as they want, they're not quite living the way they should, doing as they please. This goes back to Proverbs 14:12. In Proverbs 16:2 it says: "All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD." These people live lives that seem right to them, they don't actually care what God thinks…so hanging out with them will bring you down….Though they overlook God, He will not overlook them or their deeds.
The last step given is sitting "in the seat of mockers". Mockers or scoffers as some translations say, refers to someone who is an out right Atheist, someone who denies the existence of God all together. Proverbs 3:34 describes what God says that He will do to those mockers… "He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble." God says that He mocks them, he's going to hold them in scorn or contempt (attitude of utter disgust or hatred: a powerful feeling of dislike toward somebody or something considered to be worthless, inferior, or undeserving of respect.) Now that's pretty strong words from God. He also calls them a fool. "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God" (Psalm 14:1). God does not take lightly those who persuade others to not believe or to sin.
Now the next verse is key to our happiness, "But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." MEDITATES???? That's when you cross your legs "Indian style" stretch out your arms, hold your fingers like you're doing the "okay" sign & humming like a bee's nest, ain't it? No, the word meditate is best seen… watching a cow…I know this sounds weird but hang with me. A cow as we know has more than one stomach & when she eats grass she chews it & swallows, then later when she is lying under a shade tree she will bring back up that grass & she "chews the cud". It helps in her digestion, she's chewing grass that has already been chewed, swallowed & brought back up…Nasty! But that's the idea. You take God's word read it & during the day you bring it back up & think about it. You chew back over what you've taken in. See the Bible is not meant to be a novel, it is meant to be a guide book. A book that will help us know what to do. But unless we meditate on it, we won't have it when we need it. In Psalm 119:11 it says: "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Read it, memorize it, live it.
Psalm 1, goes on to tell us "For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish." God loves us all & wants what's best for us, 2 Peter 3: 9 tells us that "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." God wants what is best for all, but as we have seen man's nature want's what's best for self. The only way to break that nature is through a relationship with Jesus. In that relationship we will receive the Holy Spirit who will guide & convict us on our journey.
In conclusion, watch the life of those who turn from God, you can see them in Hollywood, in the local bars & parties, some even in your church. But watch, their lives, they will always come unraveled even if they seem very neatly woven together. So does it make a difference who you hang with? Yes. Who you hang out with is who you normally like being with because they like the things you like. Evaluate what your friends do & say, & you can bet that they are a mirror reflection of yourself. Are they concerned with what God's desires are for their lives or are they just concerned with themselves & living for the "pleasures" this world offers.
Be a "blessed" man, hang out with blessed people. But do not forget those who need Christ, always be willing to lend a hand to lift someone up…but just don't get pulled down yourself.

Vern

Now, You Can Follow the Leader

"Train your child in the way in which you know you should have gone yourself."

I don't have the right to tell my son not to drink…because I did. I don't have the right to tell my son not to do drugs… because I did. I don't have the right to tell my son not to smoke or us tobacco products…because I did. I don't have the right to tell my son that he must make good grades in school…because I didn't. I don't have the right to tell my son that he should be careful what entertainment (T.V., movies, music, etc…) that he places in his mind…because I didn't. I don't have the right to tell my son not to do a lot of things… But I do & I will.
How insane would it be if I didn't warn him & guide him around areas that I knew were dangerous, or unhealthy. It would be like me, making it through a minefield marking it as I go, & then walking back through on the safe path, removing the markers, & a few months later allowing my son to try walking through it with no guidance from me at all. People would think I was a pathetic example of a father…& that would be right.
God is our best example of a great & wonderful father. He knows the right thing to do & tells us that, if we just follow Him we too will walk that right path. Why wouldn't God know how to make it in this world, He created it. He also knows the consequences of sin. He knows what will bring joy to our lives & what will destroy us. In Psalms 32:8-11 He tells us that He will guide us & that "he who trusts in the LORD, loving kindness shall surround him." God loves us & wants the best life for us, I'm not talking materially, the majority of Hollywood demonstrates for us that material things will not bring true joy, but a life with Jesus can & will. I don't say that to sound super spiritual or to try & sell someone a nice "used Jesus", He's not a used car. But I say that because I've experienced a totally different life. A life that is abundant & joyful. One that is upright & enjoyable. One that I want to pass on to my son. Would I be insane to keep this new life from him… as Kool-Aid would say "OH YEA!"
So why would I, Because I didn't do it right & was miserable? Hey, not one person who hasn't accepted Jesus, will do it right. But those of us who have been blessed, need to pass it on.

Vern

The measure of a man..."

"The measure of a man is not what he does on Sunday, but rather who he is Monday through Saturday"
(Unknown)

Matthew 5:16 tells us to let our "light shine" before others… if you notice it doesn't say "live your life before others", but "let your light shine" before others. Why? In John 8:12 Jesus said, " I am the light of the world…", see Jesus is the light, not us. Actually without Jesus Ephesians 5:8 tells us that we are full of darkness. That's why God doesn't want us to shine through, remember "There is none who does good, there is not even one". He wants the Holy Spirit to shine through.

Matthew 5:16 tells us the reason that He wants the Holy Spirit to shine through us, is so "that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven". People need to see Christ living through us. People need to see the light that Jesus provides. They need to see real people following and serving the one and only, living, real, and true God…and when you allow the Holy Spirit to fully live through you…that's just what they will see.

Anyone can "live" the "Christian" life at church…but only the Holy Spirit can live it in the world. Let the Holy Spirit live through you and let your Father in Heaven be glorified.

Vern

I still know who she is

"It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would be able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his stiches and redress his wound.While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?' He smiled as he patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is."

Agape- unconditional love. This type of love is the only true love, because it's selfless love. God loves us with an agape kind of love. Just as in this story, even when we don't seem to know Him…He still knows us & loves us unconditionally.

Vern

Hang Here With The Donkey...We’ll Be Back

"Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you."
Genesis 22:5

In Genesis 22 Abraham is tested by God in the way of sacrificing his one & only son Isaac. It was through Isaac that God promised Abraham that his "DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED." (Hebrews 11:18) Through Isaac God would actually provide The way of salvation for the world. Did Abraham at this point know ever single detail about when, where & how God would do what He had promised? No, but Abraham still trusted God.
When Abraham was told by God to sacrifice Isaac, he didn't understand why, but he knew that God had promised to do these things through Isaac so he trusted that even if God were to let him put his one & only son to death, then he also knew that God would raise him again. We see this in Genesis 22:5 when Abraham tells his servants that he & Isaac are going up the mountain to worship, then he said, "and we will worship and return to you." Abraham knew God would follow through with His promise, no matter how odd or how tough the circumstances were.

Have you ever thought of, how little Abraham knew of God, compared to what we know today. Abraham didn't have God's Holy Word written down that he could carry around with him & read on a daily bases. He didn't have the book of Revelations to see God's plan was fulfilled or Matthew, Mark, Luke & John's gospels to show him how God, gave His Way of salvation for the sins of the world.. He couldn't see all of the actions of a loving, just God, laid gaping throughout history & His word …but we can & have.

Do we trust God like Abraham? Abraham's knowledge of God compared to ours is really very little, but throughout Hebrews he is spoken of as a man of great faith. How is your faith? Do you trust God at His Word? Will you follow Him wherever He leads? Are you willing to do what He says? Has God asked you to do something in obedience to Him, something maybe you don't fully understand, other than it's Biblically from God? If so…"Have faith in God" (Matthew 11:22).

I have come to realize in the past few years that "Have faith in God", is easier to write about or say than it is to live out & display, but it is what He will always call us to do. The awesome thing is, that He never asked us to do it alone.

In a book by Max Lucado, "Come Thirsty" he wrote this, "Doubters became prophets. Peter preached, & people came, & God opened the floodgates on the greatest movement in history. It began because the followers were willing to do one thing: wait in the right place for power... Biblical writers spoke often of this place. Early Christians were urged to: 'Pray without ceasing' (1Thess. 5:17), 'always be prayerful' (Rom. 12:12), 'pray at all times & on every occasion.' (Eph. 6:18)". Sound to hard? He goes on, "Do this. Change your definition of prayer. Think of prayer less as an activity for God & more as an awareness of God. Seek to live in uninterrupted awareness. Acknowledge His presence everywhere you go." Waiting on God & allowing him to work, is very hard for someone like me who need control. But I do believe He is teaching me to let go & watch Him work. Its been said that waiting on God is much like waiting on the bus...when you wait on the bus, you are not just sitting idly by doing nothing, but you are waiting and watching for the bus. You are waiting and watching for God to show up.

Vern

Got To See The President

"But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ… for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father." Ephesians 2:13,18

During the War Between the States, a young soldier in the Union Army lost his older brother & his father in the battle of Gettysburg. The soldier decided to go to Washington D.C. to see President Lincoln to ask for an exemption from military service so that he could go back & help his sister & mother with the spring planting on the farm. When he arrived in Washington, after having received a furlough from the military to go & plead his case, he went to the White House, approached the front gate & asked to see the President.
The guard on duty told him, "You can't see the President, young man! Don't you know there's a war going on? The President is a very busy man! Now go away, son! Get back out there on the battle lines where you belong!"
So the young soldier left, very disheartened, & was sitting on a little park bench not far from the White House, when a little boy came up to him. The boy said, "Soldier, you look unhappy. What's wrong?" The soldier looked at the little boy & began to spill his heart to him. He told of his father & his brother being killed in the war, & of the desperate situation at home. He explained that his mother & sister had no one to help them with the farm. The little boy listened & said, "I can help you, soldier." He took the soldier by the hand & led him back to the front gate of the White House. Apparently the guard didn't notice them, because they weren't stopped. They walked straight to the front door of the White House & walked right in. After they got inside, they walked right past generals & high-ranking officials, & no one said a word. The soldier couldn't understand this. "Why isn't anyone trying to stop us...could this be an angle sent to help me?", he thought. 

Finally, they reached the Oval Office where the President was working & the little boy didn't even knock on the door. He just walked right in & led the soldier in with him. There behind the desk was Abraham Lincoln & his Secretary of State, looking over battle plans that were laid out on his desk.
The President looked at the boy & at the soldier & said, "Good afternoon, Todd. Can you introduce me to your friend?" Then Todd Lincoln, the son of the President, said, "Daddy, this soldier needs to talk to you."
The soldier pled his case before Mr. Lincoln & right then & there he received the exemption that he desired.

Because of Jesus Christ, we have access to our Father. Not just God & Lord, but our Father. Jesus said to pray like this, "Our Father…"
It is so awesome to be able to come to the only true & living God, the great "I Am", the God of creation, the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, the God who protected & made Joseph successful in Egypt, the God that lead Moses & the Children of Israel, the God who helped David defeat Goliath & placed him as king of His people, the God who sent His only Son to die for us when we didn't deserve or honor Him for it, the God who built a bridge to Himself for us when we were still sinners. We can come to him as a son to a Father through Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth & the Life. 
 

Vern

Why doesn`t God do anything possible to help people get into heaven?

This is a new Question that I receieved.
Hope you enjoy it.

"Why doesn't God do anything possible to help people get into heaven? Either he doesn't want to or he can't, which is it? Why doesn't God do it [Why doesn't God appear in the sky in a booming voice reassuring everyone of His existence]? As I've shown above, God must want to do anything to get more people into heaven, so why doesn't he?"

God has shown Himself in the past generations. Adam & Eve, the prophets of old, Moses, the disciples & the people of that area at that time, Paul, etc… But there are those now days that do not believe it. We are the future generation, many years removed from them. If God showed himself to us on December 3rd, 2008, only those people who are alive at that time would know it. All others would have to take their word for it. Then over time they would doubt also, because of man's sinful nature & laziness in handing down information.
It comes down to this, God has revealed Himself today through His word & fulfilled prophecy. Fulfilled prophecy is God's proof that the Bible was written by Him. He has also revealed Himself to us through nature & His creation, as well as placing it in us from birth (Romans 1:18-25).
As Christians we can't use our experiences with God as proof, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims, Hindus, Hari Krishnas, native American Indians and countless others claim to have had an experiences with god. So as far as our experiences, they are not trust worthy. Experiences are not objective truth. But the Bible is objective truth because it gives us a reason to believe through prophecy (Deut. 18:21-22).
Fulfilled prophecy is the proof that God exists and has spoken, He has no need to come booming out at us today. He has spoken to all through the Holy Spirit, drawing them to Himself, some will listen & some will turn away. He has also done all that needs to be done for us to obtain salvation through the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ. But even then there will be those who will not believe. There will be those who say, "That's not good enough", butJesus said it best in Luke 16:31, where He tells us that "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead."

Vern

Sunsets, puppies, flowers, and babies` faces are not God

 Had a man ask:

"Doesn't it bother you one bit that you devote so much to this God, but he doesn't talk to you, show himself to you, and hides. Don't say he doesn't hide. Sunsets, puppies, flowers, and babies.. faces are not God."

My answer:
"Sunsets, puppies, flowers, and babies.. faces are not God"…You are very right, they are not God…but they are just a few of the great things that He has created. Those are some of the things that are mentioned in Romans 1:18-20, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse". God has made himself known through nature, He is not nature, but if someone looks at the complexity of nature/the created things, it is evident that there is a creator…God. Does God hide? It may seem like it to those who mock & reject Him, Proverbs 15:29 says that "The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous". So to them He seems distant.

Is He spiritually invisible to us? No. Is God physically invisible to us? Yes. He did show Himself to us physically through Jesus. In John 14:9 Jesus tells Phillip & the other disciples that "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father". Now, I know what you may be thinking, quoting scripture to a skeptic is like giving a comb to a bald man…it seems useless to him. But when you take into account that there are 300 plus fulfilled prophecies in the Bible, the historical & scientific accuracy, the secular proof as well as all of the truly changed lives (i.e. the 11 Disciples & many, many numerous people throughout history), a person would have to have bias blinders on not to see that this is in fact, God's Word. So, seeing it as God's inspired word, when Jesus says "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father", I must take what I see clearly as God speaking. I also need to take Jesus' at His word when He speaks in John 14:6 "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me".

I get to speak to a lot of skeptics & know that the majority of them wouldn't follow God if He stood face to face with them & showed them He was there. It's not really a problem that they do not believe because they have not seen. But that they just don't want to believe. They will not sincerely seek God, because they feel as though they will find Him. Why do I "waste my time" with God? Well, I turned to God at the age of 20 & I remember perfectly the man I was before I turned to Him, & the man I am now…I much prefer the latter.

Back during the "Hippy era" there was a pastor who was sharing his faith on the street & was confronted by a young man who was a hippy. The young man said, "I don't believe in that Christian stuff. It's that 'pie in the sky, by & by' religion, & I don't care for that."

"So you believe in the 'get the pie here & now, instead of by & by?" The pastor replied. "That's right!" announced the young man.
"It doesn't look like you are getting very much pie down here." said the pastor.

The young man admitted that he wasn't, so the pastor said, "It's a real tragic thing to miss out on the pie here & now, & miss it in the here after also."

It's a sad thing also that so many will miss out on true salvation that was provided for us by God…because, they see themselves as too educated & civilized to even truly look into it.

Vern

Big Words from a "D" Student

What does it mean that God justifies us & sanctifies us?

These two words are what I, (an all "D" student), would call "big words". I'm not much up on "big words" when speaking about God's word. Not only am I not equipped with "big words", but I like to make sure that whomever I may be speaking with can & will clearly understand exactly what I am trying to get across. From children to adults, I want them to say, "That's as simple as I have ever heard the Gospel presented". I believe sometimes that we as Christians use words that non-believers may not understand in relation to God's word. Many times a seminary degree causes a person to feel as if they have to speak from a higher intelligence, may be that people will be impressed & be more likely to listen if they use "big, fancy words". But in reality, everyday people truly want to hear the Bible placed in everyday language. In a way that they can relate to it & it can relate to their life today. With that said, we are about to talk about two "big words" that really need to be looked at & understood for all who have place their faith in Jesus.
Let's start with "justification". What does it mean that God justifies us? "Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men." (Romans 5:18)
For God to justify us, when we turn to Him for salvation, is to say that God makes us free from blame of our sin. I saw a pretty good definition for "justify" that I think sums up what God has done for us, it was "Let of the hook". When Adam sinned, it brought an inherited sin upon us. It's like this… because my mom & dad were sinners; I was born a sinner, in need of saving. That one act of disobedience, which steamed from Adam, "was condemnation for all men". God condemned man for their sin. A good analogy of the word "condemn or condemned" that seemed to really relate to God's view of man is when an inspector condemns a house & deems it uninhabitable, that until it is renovated, it will remain condemned. Now he may love that house, but he can't & will not dwell in it until it is cleaned up & repaired. In the same way God can't dwell in us, until we turn to Him for cleaning & repairs. Until we come to Him for salvation. But after that He says that He will make us justified before Him.
So when we accept Jesus as Savior & Lord, God indwells us in the form of the Holy Spirit, He has forgiven us & made us new, so that He can not only indwell us but also use us.
Now does that make us perfect? No, that's where we come to the other "big word", "sanctification". "But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life." (Romans 6:22) The definition of this word "sanctification" is, to make holy; purify. God when we accept Him as savior & Lord, again He will indwell us & then He will begin the process of making us holy & purifying us. See, when you turn to God, that doesn't make you perfect. You still have that sin nature that you received from Adam. But you are also indwelled with the Holy Spirit, whose job it is to make you pure. This process will take your entire life. It's not done overnight. But as you spend time with God daily, you will grow as a Christian & in doing that God will purify you. Perfection will come when you enter Heaven. It's like the saying salvation is like fishing, God doesn't clean you up & then catch you. He catches you & then cleans you up.
Now if you seem to be struggling in your Christian life. If you seem to fall easily when tempted, you may not be growing. I heard a story once of a little girl who was in bed asleep & her mom heard her fall out of bed & to the floor. Her mom rushed in, picked her up, placed her back in bed & said, "Honey, what happened?" The little girl said, "I guess I stayed too close to where I got in". If you stay "too close to where you got in" the Christian life that is, & you do not dig into the Bible & spend time in prayer, conversing with God…then you will not grow & be much more likely to fall. When you first accept Christ you are a baby in Christ, a newborn. But just like physical life, in your spiritual life you can' t stay health & remain a baby, you must grow to accomplish what God has for you.
Conclusion: When God saves you He makes you right with Him, by justifying you. Then He starts the process of making you into what He wants you to be through sanctification.
So, after God saves you, He will work on you removing the things that get in the way of Him using you & adding the things that will enable you to perform His plan. Remember, justification, then sanctification, so take your time & let God work.


Vern

"Incase" He Is Dead

"Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin…"
Romans 6:6

There was a story that was told to have taken place back during the antebellum days, in Georgia, before the Civil War.
It was about a wife of a rich plantation owner. She loved her husband so much that when he died she did the weirdest thing, it was kind of morbid, she had him embalmed, sitting in a chair & placed him in an airtight glass case. The case was displayed in the foyer of their plantation home, facing the front door, he was the first thing that you saw when you opened the door… him, sitting there staring right at you. Weird right?
Well, her friends thought that this was weird also & not good for her… duh. So they talked here into traveling, to help ease her mind. She set out for Europe, site seeing & shopping. Her travels lasted about two years. While out & about, she met a nice man whom she fell in love with & soon married.
After the honeymoon they decided to go back to the plantation home in Georgia. Like any good groom, when they arrived he picked her up & carried her across the threshold & was met there by the incased body of her old husband. The new groom asked who it was in the glass case. She had forgotten all about him & was shy in saying that it was her old husband. The new husband thought that it was very odd & told her that they would just have to bury him, soon as possible. I mean can you imagine having him staring at you every day? The next evening he was buried.
Now whether or not this story is true or not, I don't know, but it sure does describe what happens to us when we become a new creation in Christ. As odd as it was for her to hang on to the old dead body of her husband, when she was remarried to a man very much alive, it's just as odd for a born again believer in Jesus Christ to hold on to that "old self", which also would be or should be dead to us.
When you accept Christ, there is no need to hang onto the "old you", the one that was dead in trespasses & sin. The Bible says that those old things have passed away, & that you are a new creation. So all of the old things that I did, that were done in my old "sinful self" are dead, it was crucified with Christ & the Bible says it no longer lives.
So, to live the same as I did before, would be just plain weird.

Vern

One Bad Cracka & A Stolen Car

"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 

(1 John 4:10)

Thousands of cars are stolen every year in California, but in 1981, there was one car theft that made all the local papers and was the lead story on the evening news. The police had issued an APB, an all-points bulletin to find the missing car and to make contact with the person who stole it.
Why was this car theft getting so much attention?
The owner of the stolen car had informed the police that on the front seat of the car was a box of crackers laced with a deadly poison. The car owner had planned to use the crackers as rat bait. So the police were desperately trying to find the thief…not to punish him, but to save his life. They were afraid he would eat one of the crackers and die.

Just like this car thief, we have broken God's law. God is hot on our trail…not to punish us or condemn us…but to save us.

"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) 

God desires all to repent and be saved. He wants none to die without Him, so He pursues us, even when we turn from Him and run. 

"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins." (1 John 4:10)

Vern

Homeless Joseph

I was listening to a song this morning that talked about Mary & Joseph going to the Inn & being turned away. It made me realize something…Joseph wasn’t poor, he wasn’t homeless…they didn’t turn him away because he couldn’t pay…but because they had no room. So if Jesus was born to a family who wasn’t poor & homeless, had an earthly dad who worked for a living & provided for his family, why the stable? Why the manger? Why a dark, cold, unclean & unworthy place for the King of kings & Lord of lords to be born?
Like the song I heard, I believe it was symbolic…symbolic of the heart of man. The Chorus said the heart of man is just like that stable, “dark, cold & unclean, & although they are unworthy, they are chosen for the presents of the King”. I don’t know about you, but me…my heart was & often is even now a “stable”…but thank God, the King dwells in me, He brought cleansing, warm light into that dark, cold & unclean place & makes it worthy…He justifies it, before God. The big question is…does He dwell in you or have you told Him, there is no room?

Luke 2:1-20

Vern

Hide & God Seek

"They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden."
"Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, 'Where are you?"
"He said, 'I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself."
(Genesis 3:8-10)

I remember when I was younger the times…yes I said the "times", I know it's hard to believe, for those who truly know me, that I did more than one wrong thing in my years of growing up…but I did…any way… the times when I did something that I knew very well my dad told me not to do, I remember being very nervous, very afraid to be around him. Not that he was mean or would beat me, but that I felt like he was going to find out. That he was going to be disappointed in me ( I didn't want to be disciplined either). Maybe I would show some guilt on my face, let the secret slip or just be there when he did find out. It seemed sometimes that if I wasn't around him when I was hiding something from him, then he may not find out my wrong doings. This is like the feelings that Adam must have had when he sinned & was hiding in among the trees of the garden. If this is how he felt…I know for a fact…it's a bad feeling. It also would have strained his relationship with God, it did mine & dad's.
When I was keeping a secret from him of something I had done wrong, I could not have a good conversation with him, have a game of catch, go fishing, go to him to hear him read the funny papers to me or anything else and enjoy it. I was miserable trying to dodge my dad or trying to not look guilty around him. It's a very uncomfortable feeling when you are not right with your dad. It's even more uncomfortable when you are not right with your Heavenly Father. The communication that you & I need with Him is just not there. That sin is separating us from God. Not in the way of losing our salvation, but separation from His power, blessings, comfort & communication. We become almost useless in our serves to God when we are not right with Him.
But you know, when I came to my dad & confessed or was caught & everything was out in the open & handled…I felt so relieved & I new that then & only then could our relationship be normal & what it should be again. I could face him again, but I did have to earn back the trust. With God He says in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." He wants us to know that when we mess up we can always turn to him. The great thing about my earthly dad is that I knew I could always turn to him, I may have to suffer the discipline, but he was always there. God also is always there standing waiting for us. Though we still may have to suffer the consequences of our sin, He is still there to forgive us…standing, waiting. The father of the prodigal son…standing with his arms open…waiting to embrace the filthy mud & pig slop covered son. The son who has been miserable living with the pigs.
God also wants us to know that when we turn to Him we do not have to worry about Him hanging our forgiven sins over our heads as leverage. "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). He says here is forgiveness & freedom…take it…it's yours. Well, What are you waiting for? He knows what He's waiting for. He's waiting for you.

Vern

Was the fiery furnace in the book of Daniel literal?

“Was the fiery furnace in the book of Daniel literal? I was teaching the story to my 5 and 6 year olds and they asked me if they would burn up in a fire if they believed in God? I did not know how to answer that question. Was it just a story?”

The furnace that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into was a literal furnace. The Bible tells us in Daniel 3 that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon during this time, that he built a statute to himself, gave the measurements of the statue & exactly where the statue was placed in the plain of Dura in Babylon. It also goes in detail about who was called together for the dedication of the statue, “…the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces…” . The Bible also goes in to detail on the instruments that would be played, that would notify everyone to bow & worship this statue, “…the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music…”. With all of the detail alone, I believe that the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego & the furnace, is a literal happening in history.
As for the children’s question on, if they would burn up if they believe in God, remind them that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn’t burn up. The story shows that God delivered them from death at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar by not only saving them from the fiery furnace, but also entering into the furnace Himself. Let them know that in every situation that life throws at us Jesus is right there with us, & when the kitchens too hot, He doesn’t leave us.
But also in this story the kids need to see the strength, confidence & faith that these three young men had in God & His leadership & care for them. Listen to what they said to King Nebuchadnezzar in verses 16-18: “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
These young men were telling the king that they didn’t even have to think about there answer to him concerning the bowing down to & worshiping of this man-made god. They had already, way before this incident, made up their mind to worship, obey & follow the one & only true & living God…the great I Am. In other words they didn’t even bat an eye when they answered King Nebuchadnezzar. They also were confident that no matter what happened, whether they didn’t have to enter the furnace, whether they went into the furnace & walked out untouched or if they died there that day in the flames, that it was the will of God. That He knew what needed to happen & that either way, they would be taken care of. They knew, that even though the king was Nebuchadnezzar, they worshipped the King of kings & Lord of lords who cared & loved them.

Vern

Vester part 2

As we pulled into the parking lot of the jail my heart was racing like a….like a… a heart would race… if you were really, really nervous, anyway. I was still looking for an out, a way that I would not have to go into that jail. When we walked into the lobby the door slammed behind me & locked, man that’s a weird feeling. But when the guard came out to see what we wanted, her question assured me of a way out. “Are you a minister?” she said. “Yes!!!!!!!!! I’m out! I’m no minister!!!!! I’ve got no church! Yes!!!!!!” is what I was saying in my mind as I mentally danced around. But something hit me like a ton of little red Gideon New Testaments, it was 2 Corinthians 3:6. It says: “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” I was a minister, from the time I accepted Christ. I just looked at her as nicely as I could & through my clenched teeth said, “Yes, I am”. I could hear the Lord laughing. She said follow me & lead us into a small room which contained only a small table & 3 chairs. We sat down & heard the door close & lock. I looked around to see that we were all alone, I was a little uneasy. We sat there for a few minutes then the door across the room was opened & in walked Vester & a guard. The guard sat Vester down & turned exited & locked the door behind him….WHAT!!! He locked the door? Hey, I didn’t sign up for this, I thought there would at least be a armed guard in the room, ready to shoot to kill if need be. But there was My friend, me, Vester & I prayed God was there. We just sat for a moment or two staring at each other, not so much in hatred, but in a lack of knowing what to say. I told him that God had led me to come & see him. Then we started talking about where we knew each other from & stuff. Soon we found ourselves in a conversation about Christ & his love for all people, I told him how God was a forgiving God & how that God wanted to show forgiveness to him. He looked me square in the eye & said “God can’t forgive me for what I’ve done”. I, in a shaky voice asked him what he could have done that was so bad. “I’ve killed a man” he said. I slid my chair back & coughed my tongue back up where I had swallowed it, I said to God, “Well what do I say now?” He said “Paul”. Yea Paul, he put men & women to death for accepting Christ. He was a murderer & hated Christ, but God forgave him & changed his life. We sat & talked about Paul’s life & when we got through I told him that Christ would forgive him too. His face lit up & he said “That’s what I want”. We prayed with him & listened in amazement as he said the sinners prayer . He lifted his head up & told us thanks. He went on to tell us that before we came, he was sitting on his bunk ready to give up. His family had became fed up with his “In & out” of jail & about had given up on him. He said that the guard came & told him he had a visitor. He told the guard that nobody was there to see him, but the guard insisted. He said that he was very surprised when the guard said it was ministers, & that he was really shocked when he saw it was me… Now at first I didn’t know how to take that, but God can use anybody. We continued to talk until they came & took him back to his cell. We sat in that little room for a few minutes waiting to be let out & in kind of a trance thinking how weird it was that we, as worthless as we are…were just used by God.
A few weeks passed & I received a letter from him saying that a Christian Lawyer (come on, I know that sounds like an oxymoron but it‘s not) had found out about his accepting Christ & got him a chance at going to a Christ based drug rehab, which he needed seeing how the majority of his crimes were committed when he was on drugs. I wrote him back & told him that I would drop him off a Bible at the rehab when he arrived.
We did get the chance to go to the rehab & drop off the Bible & a Max Lucado book “A Gentle Thunder“, but they would not allow him to have visitors, rehab rules. So we left them, went home & waited to hear from him.
About 5 to 6 months later I got a letter from Vester saying that he was in prison & was still very excited about his new relationship with Christ. He said that he was enjoying his new Bible & book, & that he was spending time with God daily. We stayed in touch for several years, writing back & forth & hearing story after story of how God was growing him spiritually.
The day came when I received a letter from Vester saying that he had been blessed with the chance to go to an honors camp, & if he did well it would allow him to be released early. In the letter he said that if he were to get out early he was scared that he would fall back in with his old friends & be back on drugs again. I assured him that my friend & I would be there for him as soon as he got out. That was the last letter I received from Vester.
About 2 months later I got a phone call from him. It was a Saturday late evening, so I invited him to church for that next morning. I asked him if I needed to pick him up, he said that his grandmother would drop him off. I told him I’d wait out front for him.
It was Sunday morning & I was on cloud 20...way past cloud 9, standing in front of the church waiting on Vester…& waiting….& waiting….no Vester. Needless to say I was a little down as I walked into the church & took a seat. What happened? Was he o.k.? I didn’t hear from him for a week, I didn’t call him, I wanted to see if he would call me.
Saturday again late evening, the phone rang & it was him. Not as excited as last time I invited him to church & offered to pick him up, again he said his grandmother would drop him off. “Yea right” I thought to myself.
Sunday morning came & I was out front about cloud 2, waiting on Vester…& waiting…& waiting…again no Vester. I walked back into the church more down than before. Did he really accept Christ? Does he even care about God? I didn’t contact him (you know just like a good “Christian” would), & I didn’t hear from him for about one year or so. I was very angry with him.
I was at a new vending company ( this one had bought out the other) My friend worked with this company & as I was in the warehouse he came in the door & said “Have you heard about Vester? He’s been shot & he’s in I.C.U.” When I got off of work I rushed home to get a few things & hurried up to the hospital, praying that he would not die.
Keep checkin’ I’ll be back with the 3rd part soon.

Vern

Vester part 3

Vester (Part 1)

This story is not to glorify myself as you will see, my lack of faith in this situation is pretty bad. But God's lesson that He taught me, change my life forever. It is also to pay tribute to Vester and how God used him in my life and the lives of others.

It all started back in the early 90's, I was about a three year old Christian and employed with a vending company where I repaired machines…you know, coke machines, snack machines, food machines, etc… I traveled through out several counties in Alabama, when I would get a call that a machine was in need of repair. Kind of a vending superhero to those with chips hung up or a coke not dropping. 
Even though I did have several accounts that I didn't like to go to, there was one that literally turned my stomach every time I heard it's name…The Calhoun County Jail.

I was in the jail vending area, which was a small hallway sized room just off the main hallway, I had just finished working on a machine, packed up my stuff and started out the door, when I ran face to face with…Vester. Vester was a guy who was about 1 year to 2 years older than me and had been in trouble, in and out of jail most of his life. My only real memory of Vester was when we played on the same little league football team. I had to line up against him in practice, I was an offensive guard and every time he would come up, he would punch me with a hidden upper cut right in the chin, needless to say, I didn't care for him a whole lot. So when we ran into each other at the jail, I did what I thought a Christian should…I gave him a head nod (you know like "what's up" with no smile) and I went about my business. Hey, I was a new Christian, give me a break. Besides it was Vester, why should I care, he was right where he needed to be. I headed home with my meeting at the jail still on my mind. I went through the rest of that week and the weekend thinking about my encounter with Vester.

When I became a Christian it wasn't long until a friend of mine also accepted Christ and on Tuesday nights we would go out at 7:30 pm to visit some of our old friends that we use to drink and stuff with. We would go to them hoping to get a chance to share Christ. On the Tuesday following my Vester sighting, I still had him on my mind, so much so that I couldn't even do my daily Bible study. I would get home from work about 1:30 or 2  gave me about 2 hours alone with God, but this day I couldn't even concentrate. I was so very burdened by Vester and his situation. It bothered me so bad that I became angry, "God!" I said, "What do you want me to do, what's the deal with Vester?"
As clear as a bell I felt that God wanted me, yes I said me, to go to the jail (a place I had tried to stay out of most of my life), and witness to Vester. I am ashamed to say it but I fought with God about this. I didn't want to go see him and I sure didn't want to see him in jail. What if he tried to shank me, I'd seen those movies, you turn your back on em' and BAM, next thing you know your on the floor with a sharpened toothbrush in your back, bleeding to death, screaming for your mommy and seeing your life flash before your eyes…don't go into the marsh, don't go into the marsh…crazy humans. I really didn't want to go, so I made a deal with God. I would go, but on my own terms.

MY TERMS:

 1) I could go that night, Tuesday our regular visiting day (at that time they didn't have visitation on Tuesdays, I'm one ahead already)

2) I can meet with him in a room not behind glass on a phone but face to face (they'd never let some nut calling of the street come in to that type of situation, now I'm 2 and 0)

3) I go at 7:30pm no later no earlier (I'm going to tell them what to do? I'm 3 and 0 and about to walk). 

So I went over to the table where the phone book was, looked up the jail and dialed. A ladies voice came over the line, "Calhoun County Jail". (Made me sick just hearing her say it), I said "My name's Shawn and I want to come down and talk to an inmate named Vester, I want to see him tonight, in a room where we can talk without the glass and phone, face to face". She said "Hold on". I said to myself "bet that ended it". After a few minutes she came back on the line and said "Is 7:30 O.K." Wait a minute, she was supposed to come back and say "Sorry sir, we don't let just anybody stop by and make their own arrangements to visit with inmates!" …NOT "IS 7:30 O.K!"
Notice: I didn't tell her the time I wanted to come.

I told her that would be fine and hung up the phone. I guess I better call my buddy and see if he'll go, I wasn't going alone. So after about 20 minutes of convincing my friend that we would live through it, he said he'd go and we found ourselves in a car headed to the Jail.
 
VERN

Vester Part 2 Vester Part 3

Wolf in a wool suit.

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
(Matthew 7:15-23)

In this day and age we need to be very leery of anyone coming to us in the name of Christ. There are so many different denominations, religions, cults and such that we really should be careful.

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." Matthew 10:16

By what the Bible says we can be innocent or gentle and still be shrewd or wise. So we are not to walk around, as they say "so heavenly minded, that we are no earthly good". But we also are not to be "so earthly minded that we are no Heavenly good". There is a balance that we need to have. Jesus was a great example of that balance.

"But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, 'Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?' They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, 'If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.' Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground."

"At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?'

"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. 
"Go now and leave your life of sin." John 8:1-11

Jesus knew that these men were evil and that they were more concerned with getting something on Jesus than about keeping the law. It is also believed that they tricked this woman into adultery so that they could take her before Jesus, to test Him. Now I 'm not goofy, I know that Jesus knew their thoughts, but even if he wasn't all knowing, he still, by their track record, would have been cautious of them.
We do not have to walk around being gullible, we need to be strong in our convictions and be bold about telling people, in love. We need to work toward discounting these false prophets of Christianity. Shout it from the mountain tops , the truth about being a Christian. What it means to follow Christ. If we don't, who will. If we do not there will be many led astray and it will be on our hands.

"Son of man, speak to your countrymen and say to them: 'When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not take warning and the sword comes and takes his life, his blood will be on his own head. Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had taken warning, he would have saved himself. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood."
Ezekiel 33:2-6

It's so cool how Jesus explains the good tree and the bad tree. Notice that Jesus does not talk about the look of the tree. He doesn't say the good looking tree bears good fruit or the crappy old broken down tree bears bad fruit. He just say good and bad. The look of the tree doesn't always matter. I've seen apple trees that look like they had been beaten with a baseball bat full of nails and it would have some of the best apples ever. Then I've seen some that were well taken care of and beautiful that didn't grow a thing. So as the old saying goes "looks can be deceiving". You may see a guy who looks kinda rough, not your typical television personality or model picture of a perfect pastor, but he maybe be a mature strong Christian. Then you may have a well groomed guy with PhD's coming out of his ears and dressed to the tee, but he maybe a snake in the grass. This could go either way. The Pharisees looked the part, but Jesus said they were serpents, John the Baptist looked like a wild man, living in the dessert, wearing odd clothing and eating strange foods, but look at how Jesus describes him:

"I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist…" Matthew 11:11

So be very careful, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves."

He says that you will know them by their "fruits" or actions/character, What their life produces. People always want to know who should I vote for they all say the same good things. I say don't just listen to what they say, heck they're trying to get your vote. look at their again "track record", look at how they voted on things, things they've said and done. Everybody acts good when they're at church, it's how they act away from church that shows who they really are.

Enough said, just be careful don't be a push over, but don't be a brick wall either, and keep a sharp eye out for false prophets, wolves in wool suits.

Vern

Vine & Branches

"I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
John 15:1-8

Jesus tells us in his word "I am the vine & you are the branches"; He taught most of His lessons outdoors. I like to believe that He was in a vineyard with His hands on a grape vine sharing with His followers the truths of the Kingdom. Showing them the vine with the branches coming off & how the fruit grew from them. Explaining that if the branch remains attached to the vine it will thrive & produce fruit, but when it is removed, He may have torn one off & dropped it to the ground & said it can't do anything. Without Christ we can't do anything good for God without the Holy Spirit working through us. I remember one time I took it upon myself to share the gospel with this person & I laid it out sweet, it was the best I had ever heard, if I must say so myself, but when I finished the person I was talking to looked very confused & didn't accept Christ. I couldn't believe it, it was so…so perfect. But, it wasn't God it was me & pride. There was another time that I stopped before I shared & asked Christ to speak through me, when I finished I thought surely that they were bound for Hell as confusing as I just made them. But they accepted Christ that night. See it wasn't me it Christ speaking through me. If it's not Christ speaking through you it's worthless. I learned from that point on that anywhere, anytime that I was going to serve God I would & do ask Him to do it through me.
Another part to the scriptures is where Jesus says that His father is the gardener & he prunes or removes the bad parts of your life that do not bear fruit. If you haven't come to Christ yet, remember that you can't clean up enough to come to Christ, just come as you are. You don't clean fish & then catch them; Christ will clean up your life after you are his.
Now the fruits thing, very confusing for me when I first read these verse years ago, but Galatians 5:22 explained a lot for me:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

(These things are needed in your life to hold down a job, have a good marriage, etc…)

These things don't just show up in your life you have to work toward them, by remaining in Christ & Him in you. How do you do that? With Bible study & prayer. Get into God's word & read. If you are a new Christian, start in Ephesians read a chapter at a time. Don't rush through it just so you can say "I read it through in one year!" It doesn't matter if you can't remember what you read. Study it, search it, and dwell on it., ask God to speak through it. It's not a novel it's God's word to use to show us how to live & enjoy life to the fullest.
Next, pray. Talk to God as a son comes to his father. Nothing makes me happier than when my son comes to me for help or to thank me or just to say he loves me. Imagine how that makes an all Holy, Perfect God feel.
Talk to Him as you normally speak. I hear people stand to pray in public & they say "Oh Heavenly Lord, Thy great & wonderful Lord, I lovest Thee…" come on man your not King James. You don't talk like that. Speak to God with respect, but don't try to impress Him. He loves you & wants to hear from you.
Lastly this these verses say: "ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." People look at this verse & think God's some kind of blue, Robin Williams voice over genie, which will grant their every wish. They always for get to quote the first part of this verse: "If you remain in me and my words remain in you," If this happens then when you ask for things you will be thinking in accordance with God's will, not selfishly.
Get in God's word, get a quiet time, away from everything for a little time each day. It will make a world of difference for your spiritual life.

Vern

Asphalt Squirrel

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." 

(Colossians 3:2)

Years ago I was a vending machine repairman for a company called "Special Service Vending", yea I know Sheryl Crow's song, it's true you have a lot of time to think, you're by yourself most of the day. But anyway... It was a early morning trip to Lineville, Al that I was on, headed down the back roads out in the boonies.

I was traveling along when something caught my eye. It jumped out into the road right in front of me. I was moving pretty fast, when I noticed it was a squirrel just standing in the road looking straight at my van. I couldn't really do anything but hit him. I like animals & all, but I'm by no means going to wreck, maybe even kill myself for a squirrel. So I did what any normal non-tree huggin' person would do...I laid him out flat & went on about my business. 

Now, don't get me wrong I did feel kinda bad (I didn't cry or anything) but it was sad when I looked back in my rearview mirror & saw that fella laid out across the yellow line, but what happened next was was odd to me...a poem...yes, I said a poem came to my mind, so I pulled over & started writing. The poem goes like this:

"As a squirrle in the road I stop where I stand, as danger blazes toward me in a large white van. Should I dart to my left or run to my right, or maybe stand my ground & fight, fight, fight! With an acorn in my teeth & not much on my mind, the decision is made & death strikes me blind."

I thought, what a weird peom. I stuck it away for over a year. 

When I ran across it, I re-read it & still thought it was kinda funny. But as I was reading it, God spoke to me. Not in a loud thundering voice, but in my mind he said, Christians are like squirrels... I know, that's exactly what I thought! Christians are like squirrels? God went on...Christians are like squirrles, If they would stay focused on the other side & cross on through life, with out allowing themselves to be distracted, they would be just fine.

See that squirrel had it made, until he was distracted by my van. It wasn't that he wanted to die...I don't think that he was a suicidal squirrel, but, he was just curious about what he saw. When he found out that what he was interested in was not good for him it was too late, splat!!!!!!!!

As Christians we travel through life like squirrels, we allow our minds to be distracted from the other side, sometimes we recover & do well other times we spend that life jumping back & forth all mixed up not knowing where to run. Some are distracted by alcohol, some by drugs or any other sin (Sin - knowing something is wrong, but doing it anyway. Breaking God's law) we let that take our eyes off of God.

 I know distractions, but I've learned to keep my eyes on Christ. Curiosity will sometimes kill ya...it killed the cat & heck a squirrel. The best thing to do is not take the first sip, the first hit, watch the smallest amount of filth or spread the first bit of gossip. You may find it interesting & kinda  fun the first time, but it never ever turns out good...ask the squirrel.

Vern