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The Day After Easter

Psalms 100

1  Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Another Easter has come and gone.  Continue to worship the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, at the Church of your choosing!

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Laughing With God

The German theologian Jurgen Moltmann expresses in a single sentence the great span from Good Friday to Easter. It is, in fact, a summary of human history, past, present, and future: “God weeps with us so that we may someday laugh with him.” – Phillip Yancey

The Great Silversmith

Malachi 3:3 “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”

This verse puzzled several ladies that met for a weekly Bible study.  They discussed the meaning of the verse and wondered what this said about the nature and character of God.  One of the ladies offered to research the refining process of silver and have some additional thoughts at their next Bible study.

Later that week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work.  She didn’t mention the reason for her interest –beyond simple curiosity about the refining process.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat.  He explained while refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where flames were the hottest so as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says, “He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.”   She asked the silversmith if it was true, that he had to sit there in front of the fire the entire time.

The man answered that yes, not only must he sit there holding the silver, but he also had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire.  If the silver was left in the fire a moment too long, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment, then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?”  He smiled at her and answered, ‘Oh, that’s easy — when I can see my image in it.  Look closely at the image above.  Did you notice the reflection?

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Blue Skies & Rainbows

 

In yesterday’s morning worship service, children between the ages of 2 and 6 were invited to come to the front of the auditorium to sing “Blue Skies and Rainbows.”  The minister suggested the rest of us might even learn something from these children.”    I was open minded, but skeptical about what I might learn from 25 or 30 toddlers but I watched and learned. 

Everyone smiled as the children raced to the stage, which spanned the width of the auditorium.  The stage had 5 large steps, spanning the length of the stage.  The children arrived at the stage and begin to climb the steps.  The older children had little difficulty with the steps but the smaller children struggled.  I watched in amazement as the older children stepped back down from the stage to help the younger ones up the steps.  Five-year olds held the hands of 4 year olds and pulled them up.  Six-year olds picked up two and three year olds and with their arms around them, and struggled to carry them up the steps.  Their smaller friends needed help and there was absolutely no hesitation in helping them.

When all the children were at the top of the stage, they sang joyfully.  When the song was over, they started back down the steps.  Again, the older children held the hands of the younger children.  Some carried the small ones down the steps.  They raced out of the auditorium and off to Children’s Bible Hour.

I’m not sure what everyone else learned over that two or three minutes, but I thought of the passage in Luke 18 (Verse 17):  “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

Pure in heart, these children were anxious to sing and they were not about to leave anyone behind.  They truly loved one another.

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Cyber-Prayer? They Just Don’t Get It!

An American company has just announced the launch of a website that will automate prayers for you — for a monthly fee, of course!  The typical charge is $4.95 per month to say three prayers specified by you each day.

“We use state of the art text to speech synthesizers to voice each prayer at a volume and speed equivalent to typical person praying,” the company states. “Each prayer is voiced individually, with the name of the subscriber displayed on screen.”

Prices, however, are dictated by the length of the prayer. As noted in the FAQ’s of the company’s website, “A discounted prayer will cost less than other prayers of similar length.

I’m afraid once we automate our prayers to the Creator, He will automate His response back to us.  They just don’t get it, do they?   Click Here For Full Story On Fox News

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Peace, Grace, Mercy.

 

Peace is when time doesn’t matter as it passes by.  Grace is when God gives us what we don’t deserve.  Mercy is when God doesn’t give us what we do deserve.

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Broken Dreams

As children bring their broken toys 
with tears for us to mend,

I brought my broken dreams to God 
because He was my friend.

But then instead of leaving Him
in peace to work alone,

I hung around and tried to help 
with ways that were my own.

At last I snatched them back and cried:
“How can you be so slow?”

“My child,” He said,
“What could I do…….. you never did let go”

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