If there’s anybody out there, I can save you I can save everybody

When I sit & reflect on what Christ has done in my life, as I often do when God allows me to share His Word publicly, my thoughts often go to a hill just outside of Jerusalem called Calvary…Golgotha or "the place of the skull". A place where criminals of Rome… thieves, murders, traders & revolutionaries, lost there lives for the lives they lived. Where mothers sobbed at the bleeding feet of their children, where fathers watched as their dreams for their little boys suffocated from the weight of their own bodies, a place of anguish, cruelty, suffering & loss, a place of…hope? Yes a place of hope, a place of, the Hope.

Just like the miraculous birth of the Lord of lords & King of kings, in a smelly, cold stable, in a small meaningless town like Bethlehem. The same is like hope from Golgotha. The place where hope flees, would become the place where the world would run for hope & salvation.

In the movie "I am Legend", Will Smith’s character stated that “I can save everybody". Robert Neville, played by Will Smith, is a virologist, who thinks that he is the last surviving human on earth that is not infected with a vicious man-made virus. He works to create a cure while living in a city inhabited by mutant victims of the airborne virus. 

During the movie Dr. Neville finds the cure in the blood of one of the virus victims that he has captured in order to try & find that cure. Though this movie was a tad bit more troubling than I thought it’d be, you couldn’t help but noticed the message that was hidden at the end of the movie…the cure…was in the blood. Not that this was a Christian movie or that it was written by a Christian, but it was cool how that’s where he found it…the same place we find the cure for the man-made virus that all of us are infected with…sin. 

This virus we all share started back in the Garden of Eden, when Adam was infected. We all like to blame it on Eve, but it wasn’t until Adam took that bite, that sin entered the world & made zombies of us all. Zombies, walking dead. Zombies who need a cure, found in the blood of Jesus who died on Golgotha. A place of death...now the place of life, a place where Jesus "can save everybody".

"WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." (Romans 10:13)

Vern

The "Plane" Truth

If you talk to a pilot they’ll tell you that any novice pilot can take off in an airplane, but landing takes an experienced pilot. How would you feel if you boarded a plane & the pilot took off nice & smooth, While up in the air you looked out the window enjoying the view & the beauty of being above the clouds, the pilot comes across the speaker with good news & bad, "The good news is that the skies are clear & blue at our height of 30,000 feet. The bad news is that we are out of gas & I have no idea how to land this thing”? I don’t know about you but, I’ve been on a plane & it would have a bad effect on my nerves as well as my pants.

You know in this world today with all the cults & "isms" they don’t give much hope. Yea, a few talk about resurrection, but none have produced a body. Without resurrection, there is no hope. The "isms" & false religions of this world are allowing people to fly high with no means to land safely. The leaders of these cults are taking people on a wonderful flight; while they’re lining their own pockets & becoming filthy rich, then when it’s all said & done they leave them with no hope of a safe, secure eternity. But Jesus, He gave us hope of an eternity in full resurrection with Him.

Now let’s take a look at the following evidence that gives us reasons to believe that Jesus rose from the dead:

(1) An Empty Tomb. The body of Jesus was wrapped in a linen cloth and it was placed in a tomb cut out of solid rock. A very large stone weighing about 2 tons was rolled against the entrance. A Roman watch of strictly disciplined men stood guard at the tomb according to the instructions of the authorities (Matthew 27:66). They obviously wanted the body to stay behind the stone barrier. Yet the tomb is empty till today. The body is not in the tomb because Jesus rose from the dead.

(2) Appearances of Jesus. Jesus appeared to his disciples and many others for 40 days after His resurrection. More than 500 people saw the resurrected Christ at the same time during this period (I Corinthians15: 6). History also supports this fact. The historian Josephus wrote "For Jesus appeared to them the third day alive again, as the holy prophets had predicted" These appearances can only be possible if He rose from the dead. This evidence strongly points towards the resurrection of Jesus.

(3) Transformation of People. Christ transformed people in history and still is transforming people today. This is only possible if he is alive. He transformed his disciples. They all fled out at the time of His capture. But after a few days they became men who were ready to die for Him. Only one of the disciples died a natural death. Others were stoned, crucified, killed by sword, boiled alive, etc. Only the conviction that Jesus conquered death could transform them. The disciple saw the risen Jesus. If they had not seen Him, they would never have given their lives for what they knew was a lie. And such lives of conviction led many such Christians to do the same in times of persecution in history.

Some of you are flying high on a joyride through life…but what about when you have to land this thing…is your pilot someone you can trust to get you to the terminal safely? Someone, who you can hand over the controls to, or are you holding on to your own parachute, because you have no true faith or hope?

Put your faith in Jesus, He has already landed & successfully brought multitudes upon multitudes Home safely.

Thanks for flying Salvation Airlines… for when you want to enjoy the flight & land as well.

Vern

Bible Study...zzzzzzzzzz

"There is enough dust on some of your Bible's to write "damnation" with your fingers."
C.H. Spurgeon

This quote, from one of the greatest preachers, who ever lived, makes me cringe as I realize that I just don't pick up my Bible enough. This is one thing that is vitally important to spiritual growth, but something few of us do well.

Bible study sounds boring…z z z z z z z z z z z z z… excuse me, that word “study” gets me every time. But we truly need it. When you start really digging into it, the boredom quickly goes away. It's full of adventure, romance (for the ladies) & plenty of action. But the main thing that it's filled with is truth. That truth leads to wisdom & wisdom to a better life. The more you read the closer you come to God. You start to see who He really is, not just who people say He is. You get to know Him. You come to realize that the God of the Old Testament is the same God that is in the New. You truly get to know Him & the only way you can really, honestly love someone is get to know them.

When I met my wife, I'm going be honest; I was deeply, madly in…lust at first site. I didn't love her; I didn't even know her name, but when I got to know her, the way she talked, the honesty, the caring, Her inward & outward beauty, that's when I fell in love. We can't love someone we don't know. The best way to get to know God is through His word.

Now when I talk about Bible study, I'm not talking about, closing your eyes, flipping your Bible open, sticking your finger on a scripture & saying "God lead me to this verse". Start somewhere & read. Go book by book, chapter by chapter, and verse by verse. A good place to start for a new Christian is Ephesians or maybe Romans, they kind of lay out what it means to be a Christian. I also like to start in Genesis, then go to Matthew, back to Exodus, then to Mark & so on. It blends them together, in a kind cool way. Whatever you do, read at your own pace, don't rush. This is not a novel to finish & then discuss at some sort of Oprah Book Club, it is a guide to living life & following Christ, a map or instruction book. You need to understand what you have read & what you are reading.

Now the Bible is different from all other books. You may read something today get a meaning from it, reread it a month from now & get another. Not that it will change word wise but as you grow, God shows you more things. You can never ever totally understand & fully know everything in God's Word, we are not capable. Also without knowing Christ as your Lord & Savior you can’t even begin to truly understand it, it is the Holy Spirit who will guide you in your understanding. But He does want to reveal Himself to us as well as His truth.

There are great benefits to reading & applying God's Word to your life:

“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

Notice that it says "whatever he does prospers". Look at this next one:

"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
Joshua 1:6-9

“Successful”, “prosperous”, isn't that what we all want. When you follow God & His word, you can have those things…wait now, don't think that I've turned over to be a "Name it & claim it preach", I'm not a $600 suit, big diamond ring, gold watch wearing, just flew in on my own private jet, gonna slap you in the head as I mumble some gobbled gook preacher. But I do believe that God can & will prosper you when you get close to Him. Living right with God will make a difference in how your life goes; I know I've been on both sides. It want always be with money.

I know you can't find the time to read the Bible; you are too strapped for time as it is, and you can't fit anything else in. If that's the case, remember that T.V. watching will not make you successful, that glossed over stare you've got on your computer will not prosper you…see what I'm saying. We make time for everything else, heck I rushed home from church Wednesday night just to watch one hour of "American Idol" with the crappy singers, and if the “O'Reilly Factor” or “Glen Beck” would have been on I would have sat there another hour. Make the time… you'll be glad you did.

For a great way to go through the Bible chapter by chapter verse by verse with free MP3 downloads go to the link on the top right: “Thru the Bible” with J. Vernon McGee.

Vern

Shut Up?

"The best time for you to hold your tongue is the time you feel you must say something or bust."

A little girl came running to her parents in tears; her mother asked "Did your friend hurt you?"

"Yes," said the girl, "Where?" her mother asked. "Right here," said the child, pointing to her heart.

Some call it a sharp knife, a small but powerful rudder of a large ship, others a snowball that gathers size, whatever you refer to it as, the tongue is a very dangerous weapon. It can corrupt, condemn, break down, acquire revenge & terrorize. It has caused wars, enslaved people & became the main tool in twisting & preparing the minds of the German people for the horrors of the Holocaust.

I’d have to say that I’m probably the worlds worst at opening my mouth & inserting my foot. Andy Taylor once said as he raised his foot and propped it up on his desk, “How could that great big foot, all of it, fit in my mouth?”, I think at times we all feel that way, but for some reason it always seems to hit us… after we have said, what we wish we wouldn’t have.

Controlling our tongue is like any other problem we face & we have to handle it in the same way we would any other problem, we have to decide first to turn it over to God, also make a decision that in the future we will watch our tongue, think about what we are going to say & never be quick to answer or comment,(sounds kind of weird coming from me).
“When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.” Proverbs 10:19

Though the tongue can be used for bad, it can also be used for good. It can build up, encourage, bless, strengthen, & instill confidence in someone to do great things, like Cheryl Prewitt. Who is Cheryl Prewitt? That’s what I said too.

When Cheryl Prewitt was four years old, she hung around her father’s small country store. Almost daily the milkman would come into the store & greet her with these words, “How’s my little Miss America?” At first she giggled, but eventually she became comfortable with it…& even liked it a little. Soon the milkman’s greetings became a childhood fantasy…then a teenage dream. Finally, it became a goal…& in 1980, she stood on a stage in Atlantic City & was crowned…Miss America.

The tongue…such a small part of the body…but it holds an unbelievable amount of power…use it wisely.

“The Tongue weighs practically nothing, but so few people can hold it” Unknown

Vern

Just Hanging Out With Jesus?

I wrote on the last blog about a demon possessed man who came in contact with Jesus & was changed. I set back & thought about others who were changed because they came in contact with Christ; the thief on the cross came to mind, the one that defended Jesus & then asked Him to remember him when He came into His Kingdom. This dude was rotten, a thief who lived a life of deceit & swindling. He deserved his punishment…heck, he said so himself. He told the other thief that Jesus didn't deserve to be on that cross, He had done nothing wrong. But them, they deserved it, they deserved the nails in their hands & feet, they deserved the mocking, the flying spit hurled at them by those passing by, the broken legs to quicken their death. But Jesus...he didn't deserve any of it. 

So many of us are like that thief, rotten, corrupt, so far away from God that we think we can never make it to Him. You may be right where he was, flat on your back, on the rock hard bottom of life, with only one way to look…and that is up. One of the awesome things about God is… He is everywhere, even with the rock bottom dwellers.

I noticed something else about this thief, he is probably the best example of how a person comes to Christ. Some say that the way to be saved is to accept Christ & live a good life. The Bible never teaches works as a way to salvation. It only teaches God's grace & mercy. Works will be a sign of our salvation. The thief on the cross accepted who Jesus was, but he didn't have the time to come down off the cross & live a good life. He died! But Jesus told him that "Today, you will be with me in paradise". Not "If you know your Bible inside & out" or "attend church every time the doors open & never miss", no He said "Today". No strings attached, for your faith alone, "you will be with me in paradise". Never forget Who saved you & do forget about saving yourself.

Do you know Jesus as your personal savior? Do you want to know what that means & how to do it? Check out the top right column of this site & click on the links “What is God’s plan of salvation?” & “What does it mean to accept Christ as your personal savior?”

Vern

Right Mind

I was looking through the Bible checking out the people that came in contact with Jesus and had a life change. I came across a man that was demon possessed in Mark 5:1-20, this dude was insane, out of his mind, loopy, he was wound too tight, his elevator didn't go to the top & his stairs were out of order, he was Loony Toons, crazy as a outhouse rat, he was several fries short… oh you get the point. This guy was not all there. The people in the city were scared of him. They tried to tie him up with ropes & chains, but he broke them all.

This guy lived up in and around the tombs, screaming in the night, running around naked, cutting himself with stones…reminds me of high school…okay no rocks. This man was freaky with a capital "F". Just imagine, now in our time, some guy living in a graveyard, butt naked, long hair, nasty, scars from cutting himself, oh man, Halloween around this town would have been wild. With Halloween in mind, the towns people avoided this dude the way we avoided the raisn lady's house while trick or treating. 

Those people had given up on him. He was no good, too far gone & worthless, he was not worth killin'. At least that's what everyone thought, everyone that is except…yep, you guessed it, Jesus. Jesus knew who this guy was, and even though he seemed out of his mind he was still a creation of God.

Jesus proceeded to cast the demons out of this man & when word got back to the towns people they came to see. They found the man sitting, clothed and in his right mind. Did you catch that? His right mind. 

When God got a hold of me, I was not in my right mind. A right mind doesn't do things like drugs, alcohol & premarital sex, things that would harm the body & in most cases destroy it. When God saved me he also put me in my right mind. Are you in your right mind? You can be. Romans 10:9 

Vern

$$$$

John D. Rockefeller said: "I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness. I would barter them all for the days I sat on an office stool in Cleveland & counted myself rich on three dollars a week."

W. H. Vanderbilt said: "The care of 200 million dollars is too great a load for any brain or back to bear. It is enough to kill anyone. There is no pleasure in it."

Wealthy businessman John Jacob Astor was a martyr to dyspepsia & melancholy who once said: "I am the most miserable man on earth."

Automobile king Henry Ford said: "Work is the only pleasure….I was happier when doing a mechanic's job."

Multimillionaire Andrew Carnegie once said: "Millionaires seldom smile."

“People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.” 1 Timothy 6:9

“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:26

You've heard it a million time, "Money can't buy happiness." But I believe it can...but happiness is not what you want, because happiness can leave you true joy that only Christ can give will not. If you came up to me & gave me a million dollars...I guarantee you that I'd be happy. But if I lost it the next day, that happiness would be gone, but I'd still have the joy that Christ has given me.

We …& I say "we" because my wife & I have to be the worst people at handling money, better now than we use to be. When we first got married, we received a credit card offer in the mail, & low & behold we were per-approved. "Wow" we thought that must mean we have excellent credit & look 0% interest (note, always read the fine print). Well after a trip to the beach on our first real vacation together as a married couple, we came home with a maxed out card with 21% interest & a bottle of sand. We realized how stupid that was & cut up the card.

We were married in 93' our son was born in 96' & we finally paid that card off when he was about 3 or 4 years old. We ended up paying for two trips & taking only one.

Needless to say we stay away from major credit cards. But still we find ourselves in bind after bind….Why? How do they say it, "It's the nature of the beast", When we get a raise that will make ends meet, we shorten the ends with debt…. Why? We've got to have it now, "I need this", "I love this", "I've gotta have this"…that's the words you'll often hear at your local mall or Wal-Mart. We can't wait & no amount of money is enough.

I've learned over the short life that I've lived, that to be happy you must be content with what you've got.

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

"Then some soldiers asked him, 'And what should we do?' He replied, 'Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely—be content with your pay." Luke 3:14

"A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished." Proverbs 28:20

Be content with what God has given you. Instead of saying "Is this all I get" say "look at what the Lord has blessed me with" whether a lot or a little.

Vern

Comment good or bad at vernmason1@aol.com

The "C" File

“If your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell.” Matthew 5:29

We have a file in our brains I like to call the "C" file or the "crap file". That's where all the crap we allow to go through our eyes & ears & into our mind ends up. It could be pictures from a dirty magazine you looked at as a kid, the movies that you've seen, you know the kind that give you the creeps when they come on while your parents are in the room or maybe the song that’s teetering on the edge of raunchy that you just can't get out of your head…but just like all that other stuff in the old "C" file you can't. Our brains are like computers…I know, people use that analogy all the time, but it's true. It is like a computer, it stores memory, but the only difference is it's got no delete button. It's got no trash bin that you can empty. You can’t destroy the hard drive. Once it's down loaded it's there for ever. But what about when you accept Christ, isn't it just washed away? Nope, when it's in it's in. Programmed, downloaded & burnt. That's why it is so dangerous to be so haphazard with your so called "entertainment". I'm not speaking from a "I've done nothing wrong" stand point, heck I was the kid who looked at those magazines, watched those movies, listen to those songs & to this day still have to fight almost daily temptations because of the "C" file. I can still remember the picture of a "Playboy" book I saw at a young age, at a buddy’s house. Satan at anytime can help pull that up for me when I'm where I think I need to be spiritually.

The above verse doesn't mean to literally rip your eye out, but that it would be better than continuing to sin with them. But like I stated above, your eyes can be a problem, but so can your ears. Music can influence you more than you know. Take it from a dude who grew up on Motley Crue, Black Sabbath, Dio, & others. I wanted to be like them. I wanted the money & the girls. I wanted their life style. But thank God for the power of VH1’s "Behind the Music" these guys have really fallen apart. But their songs did play a major role in my life…a role of rebellion. The music I listened to screamed rebellion against God, parents, teachers, preachers, the police & anyone else of authority. By following that kind of logic, I suffered a great deal. Now, I didn't get sucked in by the subliminal messages heard “clearly” only when you play the record or tape backwards, no the messages that got into my head while playing it forward was more than enough, not to mention those teenage hormones gone berserk, so my musical taste just fueled the fire. But it was my ears & my eyes that filled my "C" file. I can't blame Ozzy, or Satan…wait, aren't they the same, anyway, I did it myself by stupid wrong decisions.

There’s man Ted Bundy a serial killer who had a very bad problem with his “C” file. He was interviewed, by James Dobson, before he was executed for crimes of rape & murder. He was quoted as saying:

“Pornography can reach out and snatch a kid out of any house today. It snatched me out of my home 20, 30 years ago,” he told Dobson. “I’ll tell you, there are lots of other kids playing in streets around the country who are going to be dead tomorrow and the next day and the next day and next month, because other young people are reading the kinds of things and seeing the kinds of things that are available in the media today.”

“Sadly, Bundy was right,” Dobson said. “Pornography has been found in the possession of almost every killer where sex was the motivation, including two of the most notorious serial killers of the last two decades: Green River Killer Gary Leon Ridgeway and BTK Killer Dennis Rader.”For the whole interview go to: Bundy/Dobson Interview , the video of this interview can also be seen on YouTube.

Vern

Random Thoughts in Wal-Mart

This is not at all Biblical, just thoughts while grocery shopping alone.


I was at Wal-Mart last night strolling down the cereal aisle & noticed that "Cookie Crisp" cereal has got a new character on their box. Why did they change? Does that make me buy their cereal? What if I liked, the old one? Would that make me not buy the cereal, because of the change? So I checked into it. I did a little “Cookie Crisp” research (I really need mental help).
Remember this dude? "Cookie Jarvis". Not cookie jar, but Cookie Jarvis. I have to admit that I liked him, but it's kind of stupid to have a character that goes around changing stuff into a cereal bowl full of "Cookie Crisp". I mean what if I was enjoying some "Cap'n Crunch", by the way are we just going to act like Captain on this cereal ain't spelled Cap'n? Anyway, what if I was all off into my Cap'n Crunch & this Cookie Jarvis dude decided that I ought to be eating Cookie Crisp, & bip bam boom, Crunch goes to Crisp. I might have to go off on Jarvis. Tell him to get off that cookie crack & put my Cap'n back!

Sorry, let's move on. The next character or characters they had, where the Cookie Crook, Officer Crump (or the Cookie Cop) & Chip (the Cookie Hound). Why didn't the little kids just offer the Cookie Crook some Crisps, he must have wanted them pretty bad, he was willing to steal them. Kind of like the Trix rabbit…I blame their whole life of deceit & crime on those stingy kids. How much could that little crook eat, what maybe one or two pieces? Come on you little miserly kids…give up some of that C.C.

The last one & the one that still is the character today is "Chip" the wolf (use to be known as Howler).

There again the stealing! He is a wolf version of the Cookie Crook. Let the dude have some cereal! I know what you're thinking, "Why don't he go buy his own." Have you looked at him lately…he's a wolf! How many times have you seen a wolf, walk into to a grocery store & buy something. He can't get a job, he's a wolf. He's got no money, he's a wolf. Besides, if he walked into the store people would scream & run. They'd call animal control & the next thing you know he'd be tranquilized & relocated to the mountains of Montana. I just wonder if someone fed him Cookie Crisp as a pup & now he's hooked & can't get a fix. That's why animals don't need to eat human food, like cereal.

Hope you enjoyed the history of the Cookie Crisp characters. Remember, stop crime…share your cereal.


Vern

Vester part 3

"I realized that I had placed the story of 'Vester' part 1 & 2 on this site, but had forgotten to add the last part 3. The encounter that I had with Vester, is the circumstance that lead me to jail ministry. If you haven’t read Part 1 & 2 they are back in the months prior. Thanks for reading…hope you enjoy it."

When I entered the Hospital I was directed to a waiting room where his family was gathered. I knew some, his mom & grandmother I didn't know, so I introduced myself to them. When the grandmother heard my name she said "You're the one". "You're the one he said came to see him at the jail". I told her that I was & we proceeded to talk about what had happened to Vester. I told her that I had invited him to church twice but he never showed. She just looked at me… "He said that he wanted me to drop him off at that church, but I thought it was just an excuse to get out & get with his old friends". She felt really bad, but I assured her that she was doing what she thought was right. She went on to tell me that he had been shot in the stomach for trying to break in the door of someone's house. She also told me that before this he had been back on drugs & at night would call her to come get him, sometimes she would find him curled up under a pay phone, paranoid that someone was out to get him. We talked about the hold that drugs had on him. He had stolen his grandmother's car & checkbook the day of the shooting, he brought it back & told her that if he could steal from her like that that he didn't want to live, and then he left. The next thing they knew, he was kicking in the door of a person that had previously said that he would kill Vester if he ever came back to his home & that day announced to Vester that he was on the other side with a gun, but Vester continued on.
I left her with the letters that he had written me from prison & they allowed me to go in to see him alone. While I was walking over to his room I was going over all that had happened in my mind & growing very angry at God…"Why, Why did this happen! You told me that when he accepted You he would be new! He would be different! What happened, don't You care?…Is he saved?" I was more than angry, I was hurt. Hurt that I didn't know where this man that I told all this Jesus stuff to would spend eternity.
I sat down beside his bed; he was unresponsive & hooked up to a machine that helped him breath. He looked peaceful. I didn't really know what to say, so I started telling him that if he died I know that he will be with Jesus. He did just exactly what Romans 10:9 said to: "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." He did that, I was there I heard him. So I told him again "If you die, Jesus will bring you home". Now I don't know if this happened because of the state he was in or if he heard me, but when I said those words to him, a tear ran down his face. I prayed for him & then went back out to see the family before going home.
The next morning I was still uneasy about his salvation, but I had to believe that God was true to his word. I was at work when I received word that Vester had passed. His mother called me & asked if I would conduct his funeral. I was a little taken back, I had never handled a funeral, but she put me in contact with a pastor of a church that Vester’s uncle attended & Vester visited a few times. The pastor told me that he would handle the obituary part & other technical things & I could just share the gospel & how I knew Vester. I agreed but I couldn't do this funeral not knowing whether or not he was in Heaven. So I asked God to let me know. And a peace that I had never felt came over me & I knew he was there.
The day came for the funeral & the pastor & I were seated behind a curtain waiting to speak. I couldn't even see who was out there, funeral homes are weird. When the pastor finished with the obituary he looked at me & nodded for me to come up. Now since I had accepted Christ I'd always wanted to get the chance to witness to guys that I had done drugs with, but had yet to get that opportunity…until now. When I stepped out from behind that curtain I recognize many faces. I told them about Vester's accepting Christ & how they could accept him too.
I also told them that if they accepted Jesus that they would see Vester again one day. There were several when asked if they wanted to know for sure when they died that they would go to heaven, that prayed & if they were honest, accepted Christ that day. After I prayed the funeral director came up & directed the people in what to do & where the site would be.
When I arrived at the grave site I was a little down. I had so much wanted Vester to come out, do good & live a changed life. I felt bad because I didn't do what I needed to do to disciple him. I acted like a two year old & sulked because he didn't come to church with me. I failed as a Christian & as a friend.
When the graveside was over, I stayed at the grave as the family was leaving. I had faith in God that Vester was in heaven, but little did I know that God was about to show me his true grace. As I stood there staring down into the grave, the pastor called out as he approached me with another man following. He introduced this man as Vester's uncle that attended their church. His uncle went on to tell me that he was called the night Vester was shot; they knew that he attended church & wanted him to go to the hospital. He said that as they took Vester out of the ambulance he ran along beside him while they rolled him down the hall. Vester was in bad shape, he couldn't talk but he was alert & could understand what you said. He said that he asked Vester if he died tonight did he know for sure that he would go to heaven. Vester nodded yes. He also asked him if he needed to get anything right with God before. Again he nodded yes, so they prayed.
I was shaking by this point as I thanked his uncle for relaying that. I told God thank you & felt that Vester was in God's hands now & the addiction of drugs will never touch him again.
I wrote this to tell the story of Vester, to say that when you sincerely accept Christ, even if you fall, God still loves you, & you will never be plucked from His hand.
God taught me some wonderful things through Vester, He taught me that those who sit in these jails & prisons, though they have committed a crime and do deserve to be there, they are still human beings that God created & are in desperate need of Him. He also taught me that no matter the circumstance, I can always trust Him to be faithful &true to His word. But most of all, He taught me to never give up on people…because, He never gave up on me.

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13

Vern

Got To See the President

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 didn't anyone try to stop them?
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, God's Son, 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.


"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


Vern

Good Soil

Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears let him hear." Matthew 13:8-9

But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." Matthew 13:23

This “soil” received the word of God accepted it, applied it to his/her life & now his/her life starts to bear fruit. This is the person you want to be, unlike the others this one accepted Christ in the right way, applied the teachings to his/her life & now is growing as a Christian. The reason that you can tell that this person is growing is by his/her fruit. Fruit? When I first heard the words "bearing fruit", I was a new Christian. I had no idea what that meant. So, I got to studying it, I was lead to Galatians.

Take a look in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." This "fruit" cannot be obtained without the Holy Spirit. That's why it is very easy if you check them out to uncover a phony "Christian". If the Holy Spirit is not present, then there will be no real fruit.

"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.” Mathew 7:15-16

The fruit that we bear, will allow people to look deep into our lives. If you have truly accepted Christ & you are right with God with your life, people will be able to tell…same goes for when you are away from God, because of sin or because you never truly accepting Christ.

The way you act & live are very important, people who do not believe will notice your life, look at Acts 4:1-4 & 13

“The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.”

“They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.”

In these passages Peter & John were arrested & questioned for speaking about Jesus. When they told of Jesus to the priests & Sadducees, they were shocked at who these guys were & their level of education.

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

They noticed that these two Peter & John had little or no education & were just ordinary men (gives hope to an all "D" student, like myself). But it says that they "took note that these men had been with Jesus".
That leads me to my next part of this story, how do you get this fruit?

To find out how to get this fruit, go to my blog "Vine & Branches". Thanks for reading!

Vern

Bad Dirt 3

Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

Matthew 13:7
The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

Matthew 13:22

The third of the soils that is mentioned in Matthew 13 is the soil that received the seed, but the things in his life took over & choked out the growth of that seed. It says that this person is a "keeping up with the Jones'" person. We all know that feeling… we've probably all been there in our lives, I want a car like so & so, a house like so & so. We never seem happy no matter what we have, it's never enough, and we want more. That seems to be the way of the world now more than ever. If we don't have it & can't afford it then we just… charge it. We find ourselves in debt up to our eyeballs & miserable, our joy stripped away from us. We loose focus on God & we turn our focus on our possessions & positions. The more you have the more worries you have. The more you have the more you have to earn… I should know I'm now working on getting out of that debt trap.

There's another point in this verse. We've all heard "For money is the root of all evil" this verse has to be one of the most misquoted verses in the Bible. The actual verse in 1st Timothy 6:10, says, "For the love of money is the root of all evil". It's not the money itself, but the love of it. "The deceitfulness of wealth" is what chocked out the growth of the fruit. A great man named Adrian Rogers once said that, “if you want to fight worldly sin, strengthen your faith”. Focus more on God, His' word & speaking with Him in prayer. The old hymn says, " Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, & the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory & grace". When we focus on Christ, we see that our worldly possessions & positions are worthless; there are more important things in life. Unless we turn from those things we will not be able to bear the fruit God wants us to.

There are only two things that will last forever, people & Truth. Focus your life on winning them.

Vern

Bad Dirt 2

Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. (Matthew 13:5-6)

The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. (Matthew 13:20-21)

This person unlike the person who heard the word of God & turned away from it, this one accepts it with joy. This person is excited about hearing the word. You can see this, a lot of the times, in church services, & if you really want to see it turn on TBN (now I'm not knocking everything on TBN, though I do think that their a bit showy & some are not Biblical). You'll see people who get excited & jumping up & down, "Hallelujah , Praise the Lord," they'll fall in the floor, twitch a little while, jump back up… I'm all for getting excited about God, but if it's all for show or if you scare off the unbelievers because they thing you're crazy it's wrong, & not at all Biblical. Some of those people will do those very things; then walk out of the service & act like they never knew who God was, & when they are the least bit persecuted they give up Christianity. Now I hope you caught what I just said, "They give up Christianity" not Christ. If they act like this they are following a religion not Jesus. Therefore they have never accepted Christ. They act like they have, talk like they have & some even walk like they have. But when it comes down to it they are as lost & confused as a…as a…lost & confused person could be…I'm bad with analogies.

The persecution that we face in America today is not real persecution; I am ashamed to even call it persecution. We don't know real persecution. Have you ever had yourself & your family drug out into the streets, a gun pointed at you child's head & the trigger pulled because you would not denounce Christ, then your wife's life taken & you put into slavery? How about your hands cut off for preaching the good news of Jesus? Your home destroyed? No, well thank God & pray for those in the Sudan, China & other places around the world.

It’s amazing that when some, have others so much as laugh at them because of their faith, they can't take it, they give up. What happened? Why can't they stand strong? You ever noticed a tree that has been uprooted in a storm. The root system is usually shallow, or withered & rotten. When we truly accept Christ our root system is put in place. In order to keep from blowing over in life's storms we need to keep a healthy root system. Now, sometimes we blow over because there was a shallow root system (we have never accepted Christ) & then there is a rotten root system. At one time it may have been big & strong but we allowed things like persecution to keep us out of God's word or prayer & that root system has decayed. We will not fall away as in loss of our salvation, but fall away as in backsliding (now when I say backsliding, I do believe in that, but if you think you are backslid, you best make sure that you have truly accepted Christ. Many people think that they have because they had tried to be a Christian & fell. But they may have never accepted Him in the first place). Whatever your case, without a relationship with Christ you can't make it.

The person in these verses, I heard Vernon Mcgee say it this way, is like an Alka-Seltzer , when you drop an Alka-Seltzer in the water it goes nuts, fizzing & crackling, then all of a sudden it just stops & nothing left but nasty tasting water. Don't let your excitement & faithfulness to God end when you leave church. If it does, check your salvation.

Vern

Bad Dirt 1

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
(Matthew 13:1-4)
"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
(Matthew 13:18-19)

I've often heard that this story is about an unsaved person who hears about Jesus, may not understand & then instead of looking & asking to find out more, they just say "I'll worry about that later", & Satan snatches that opportunity away from them. The more a person does that, the easier it is to say no to Jesus the next time. I do believe that is what it implies. But I also think that it can happen to a person who has accepted Jesus as well…heck it still happens to me at times.

I will be sitting in church listening to the pastor & taking in what he says. Now, I sit up front because I'm a tad bit adult A.D.D. (with no medication) & that's the only way to keep my attention. Plus I like to make up for all those times I slept in the back pew with a Motley Crue t-shirt on, earrings & black finger nail polish….I was a mullet wearing ROCKERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry…I told you I was A.D.D…anyway, when I leave church, even though I was listening to every word & following along in my Bible, I will get home or over to my mom's house & if I sit down & start flippin' the T.V. or sit around the table & talk about all kinds of stuff, but never sit & think about what I've heard or what God placed on my heart that day. Then you could ask me 30 minutes after I leave church "What did the pastor talk about today?' & I would say…. uh….. well… uh….Jesus loves you. I would have no idea, because Satan would have snatched it away.

It also happens in your quiet times or whatever you call your Bible study time. If you don't sit back & think on what you've heard, then it will soon leave you. You need to “meditate on His word, day & night”. The best illustration I’ve heard for Meditation is like when a cow “chews the cud”. It’s kind of nasty, but when a cow “chews the cud”, she takes in her food & it goes into one of her stomachs, only to later be pulled back up & yes, chewed again. We need to take God’s word in daily & during the day bring it back up in our mind & “chew” over it again. In other words, think over what we read through out the day. We also need to look for ways to apply it to our lives.

Satan will snatch anything good away from you, if you allow him to. Satan wants nothing good for you. He wants you confused & not knowing where to turn. Remember, he is like a "roaring lion", & a lion will always go after the confused, sickly & alone.

Vern

The naked Exorcist

Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. (One day) the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. (Acts 19:13-17)

"Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?"

Does Satan & his demons know who you are? Do you cause them enough trouble that they recognize your name? Do they tremble when they know that they must face you & that you come in the true power of Christ? If not then you may want to be careful in how bold you are. These Jews seemed to want the recognition that Paul had when he was traveling around spreading the good news of Jesus. They wanted to cast out demons to look super spiritual, but the demons had other plans. You know so many times people want to look spiritual, without spending time with God. They want the power of God… without God. But they forget that without God, there is no power, without God there are no miracles. See without God there is no protection from Satan & his demons. Satan is very powerful…more powerful than any man… unless that man is filled with the Holy Spirit. As these seven sons of Sceva found out very quickly…without God they had nothing…. not even clothes.


Vern

Shine Sensor

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.

(Ephesians 5:1-10)

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light"

My wife had to drop me off at church one Sunday night, she had something she had to do & we were coming back into town, running late so she just dropped me off & would return later to pick me up. When church was over I walked down to our youth area, to wait, where there is a pool table, ping pong table & some other things. I sat down on one of those "L" shaped chairs, you know the black ones that they use to sit in to play video games. I think that it's a "video game chair", you can plug the game right into the chair. It has speakers on either side of your head, & if you rock too far back you could flip right out of it. Well, anyway, I was kicked back in one of those looking out the window, watching the day turn to night & I noticed a lamp post with a "dusk till dawn" light on it. As the sun went away, the light came on, the darker it got, the brighter the light shined. In those lights there's a sensor that tells it when to shine. It senses the darkness & illuminates it. That's my word for the day "illuminate" can you say illuminate, ill-um-in-ate….I'm sorry kickin' back to my Mr. Rogers & Sesame Street days.
We as Christians need to be like that "dusk till dawn" light. But we need to be dusk to dusk, we need to shine at all times. We need to have that sensor in us that says "Shine". When you accepted Jesus the Holy Spirit came to live inside you, kind of like your sensor. The closer you get to Jesus the more you will shine & just like that "dusk till dawn" light can't help but shine in the darkness…you will not be able to help but shine in this darkened world.

Vern

Using the Dark Side

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."
(Romans 8:28)

I was working on the computer one day, typing away in my "bird peck" typing style (I use both my middle fingers as my main point), needless to say I made a few mistakes, praise God for Spelling & grammar check, so I highlighted the unusable parts & slap the "delete" button. When I did, I thought to myself, "how cool would it be if we had a delete button through out our life". When we made stupid mistakes before anyone could see them we could, BAM…hit the delete button of life & do it over. But, by now I'd probably have a broken delete button. The awesome thing about God is, that we don't need a delete button. When we accept Christ he not only forgives us of our mistakes, He also uses them for our good & for the good of others. Mistakes I've made in life, now can help others…before they experience them or to help others see that there is a way out after a mistake. It amazes me when after giving my testimony, people have come up to me & said, "You've got a great testimony." I usually reply, "No, I've got a bad testimony that God used for good. Now the person who accepted Christ early in life & had a good relationship with Jesus, that person has a great testimony, one I'd love to have."
Never let someone tell you that God can't use you because of your past, if they do, refer them to Moses, David, Peter, Paul, etc… I believe that they will change their thinking.


Vern

Evil One Shoe

"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid."
(Proverbs 12:1)

This verse could be called "A Walk Through the Life of Vern". Growing up I was a little on the rebellious side. O.K., maybe a lot on the rebellious side…I mean, I made Darth Vader jealous. If someone told me not to…I usually would. If someone said don't…I usually did. If someone said stay away from it…I hung out with it. I'm not in anyway proud of the way I was, I mean read the latter part of the above verse, I was stupid. Check out the definition of stupid: regarded as unintelligent: regarded as showing a lack of intelligence, perception, or common sense. That my friend was me…notice, I said was. When Jesus truly comes into a life He will…not He may…but He will, change that life, & it's always for the better. I don't say these things now because I'm older & more uptight. I say these things now because I love people. I don't want to see anyone make the same stupid…there's that word again, mistakes that I made. I had people all around me that constantly warned me. Now I find myself giving the same warnings to others, but just like me, they give that "I'm listening, but I'm not going to take the advice look". At times you can really see how God must feel, when He's trying to lead those he loves in the direction of least heartache.
If I could only go back, I would take the Godly guidance that was graciously given to me & run with it. But thank God for second chances.
This verse maybe the story of my youth, but to some it maybe that the story was told a little different. You may have been one & maybe one now that strives to do what is right. One who longs to have the approval of God. One who when warned listens. If you are, do not be ashamed when mindless people call you uptight, goody two shoes…what does that mean anyway? Would it be better if I was evil one shoe? You'll find when you look at a person who does wrong, they don't want to do it alone. They also think what they are doing is good, because it makes them feel good. But that feeling is only temporary. they will end up in ruin.

"In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality."
(Proverbs 12:28)

Vern

Slow Moses?

"...for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
(Philippians 2:13)

Each one of us are created by God, with a purpose. He has a plan that he wants you to be involved in, something He wants you to lead, teach, share, work at, love, encourage, sing about, write about, etc… He wants you. But the cool thing is not only does He want you to do it, but He has well equipped you for that job . See where you may be able to use your gift of playing golf for example, to build a bridge to sharing the good news of Jesus, my game of golf would lead them away from God. We are all gifted in different ways to do different things, but God is the one who does those things through us.
There are times when we miss God's true blessings for us, like in the case of Moses. "Moses?" You say. Yes Moses. When God first came to Moses, he told him, " I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."

Moses reply, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" This went on back & forth, check out Exodus 3 & 4 for the whole story, but right now I want you to look at what Moses says toward the end, 

"O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." 

Now listen to God's reply, 

"Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."

You would think that at that moment Moses would have jumped to his feet grabbed his staff & flip flops & headed to Pharaoh's hizouse…but that's not what happened, he went on to ask God to send someone else. God was angry with Moses, but granted him someone to speak for him, "Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses and he said, 'What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it." 

I can't help but think, Moses was a great man, but what more could God have done through him if he would have only understood that God would have made him an eloquent speaker. Did he miss some of the blessings that God had in store for him? I don't know, but I do know that God can & will provide you with the means to accomplish His work, if you will only trust Him.

Vern

Volkswagen?

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean."
Matthew 23:25-26

I was at work a few days ago & went to get some coffee, I picked up my cool "Dad…You are my guardian & the champion of my dreams" cup, which my son bought for me at the school Christmas store. Did I mention that I was very proud of that cup? Any way…I went to pour some coffee into the cup when I noticed that it was nasty. Not on the outside, it looked good. But on the inside it looked like something had died in it. There was no way that I was going to us that cup. I kind of see how God feels. In the scriptures above you can see what Jesus said to the teachers & the Pharisees…He told them that they needed to get the inside clean & right, the outside was handled, but the inside was filthy…& to God that's what truly matters. You can look like a solid Christian, new suit, shiny shoes with your best church socks, a big new Bible, hairdo like you like it & make sure that you are at every church event that comes along. But the reality of it is that none of that matters to God. He wants us first & foremost clean on the inside…He wants us real where it matters…in our hearts.
I remember riding in my parent's brown, Mercury, lying in the back, up where the speakers were, looking
out the back window as we were riding down the road. I know that most people younger than I am can not imagine parents that would allow a child to ride like that in a moving car, since most have grown up strapped into a car seat. But you have to remember that these were the days when we rode bikes with no helmet, skateboards with no knee pads & the playground slides were metal & baked in the summer sun & would give you third degree burns if touch by the bare skin, it was a tougher time, we were rugged, strong, we walked 20 miles to school in knee deep snow…o.k., maybe not knee deep, maybe not 20 miles…o.k., o.k. I rode the bus. Anyway, I was watching out the back window of the car & saw the coolest car I had ever seen. It was candy apple red, low to the ground, it looked like a Lamborghini…I was flippin' out. The closer it got the more excited I got. But as it passed I heard the weirdest sound…I heard a Volkswagen engine. It was what they called a "kit" car. It looked good on the outside, but on the inside it was just a "Volkswagen".
On the outside, do you look good? Do you look like a Christian? Do you sound like a Christian? Do you "act" like a Christian? That's all well & good, but it won't matter if inside you're just a…Volkswagen.

Vern

Will Truth Set You Free

"So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed Him, 'if you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 

(John 8:31-32)

All of our lives we've heard the term "The truth will set you free", usually used in this way, "Tell the truth and the truth will set you free". I use to hear that when I was young …you know, when you had done something wrong and someone was wanting you to fess up, they would always us that, trying to get you to believe that if you told the truth, everything would be better. But, it usually got me a spanking.

Though telling the truth always is the best bet…this term "the truth will set you free", doesn't have anything to do with us or anyone else being truthful. It actually comes from John 8, "So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed Him, 'if you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:31-32) The truth or Truth is Jesus. Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life…" Jesus is the Truth that He was referring to in John 8, and He, and only He can truly set you free.

If you live in America you know national freedom, If you've accomplished Dave Ramsey's classes, you know financial freedom, if you're older and find it hard to get around, but now have a "Hover Round" then you know mobility freedom, If you've been in jail and now are out, you know personal freedom, etc… But the freedom that Jesus brings is much different. The freedom Jesus gives is from the Law. It's the freedom that we don't have to be good enough to obtain salvation, and that's a good thing, since we can't be good enough. I've tried, you've tried…it doesn't work. No matter what we try to do we just can't be perfect. That's why Jesus became the perfect sacrifice for our sins, the truth we need to set us truly free. When you are set free from sin, the Law and the worry of your eternal destination…then and only then…will you know Truth and be truly free. "…and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free". Come to know the truth today!!

Vern

Is Sunday School A Waste of Time?

(1837-1899) Dwight L. Moody, the popular American preacher and evangelist, received little education before entering employment as a shoe salesman. He was converted through the ministry of his Sunday School teacher, Edward Kimball, and soon became active in Christian service. Moody was best known for his work with the Young Men's Christian Association, in Christian education and the building of schools. Moody founded the largest Sunday School of his day, with a weekly attendance of 1,500. President Abraham Lincoln visited and spoke at the Sunday School meeting on November 25, 1860. Traveling to England in the 1870's, Moody preached before thousands and established himself as one of the greatest evangelists in history. Moody went on to establish what would be later called the Moody Bible Institute.

Still think Sunday School is unimportant & a waste of time? If you teach Sunday School, Life Connection Groups or whatever your church calls it. Make sure that you give it your all & His. God wants to still do great things through men & women who to most are not capable. Moses thought that he was incapable of helping God in His work…and he was…but he was not unusable. Adrian Rogers once said, "Moses spend his first forty years in the palace learning to be a somebody. He spent the next forty years in the wilderness learning to be a nobody. He spent his last forty years leading the children of Israel, learning that God can make a nobody into a somebody."
Put your all in to all your students, & never count yourself as useless to the God who created you.


Vern

Hairdryer Clarity

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”
(1 Corinthians 13:12)

Standing in front of the mirror this morning, right after a steamy, hot shower, I could see about as good as Stevie Wonder at a blindfold convention. The mirror was all fogged up, I couldn’t see myself at all, now that may have been a good thing, but I couldn’t shave or style the do. So I took the hairdryer aimed it at the mirror & proceeded to defog my mirror. In a few seconds the steamed up mirror was clearing. As it cleared, the verse above hit me & seemed to make more sense than ever. Looking through the fogged up mirror, I didn’t know what I truly looked like. But as it cleared, I saw all that before was covered. All that was dimly seen was now clear & unobstructed.

The question is often asked, “Will we know our loved ones in Heaven?” I believe this verse shows that we will. Someone once asked G. Campbell Morgan this very question, his answer was, “I do not expect to be a bigger fool in Heaven than I am here, & I know my loved ones here”. 

I believe we will know things that we have always wondered about, the creation of the world, the extinction of the dinosaurs, what Jesus’ life was like from 2 years old to 30, why my wife loves me, etc… All in all it will be an amazing day when we walk into Heaven, there will be nothing left to hope for, so hope will disappear, there will be no need for faith, for the one we have faith in will be standing right before us. But love, love will remain, love will always be there, that’s why “The greatest of these is love”. We will know true love, so very clearly. 

Vern