Ephesians 1:3; 3:8 Often when we think of blessings from God, we think of things such as food on the table, job, family, good health, etc. Such things are truly blessings from God, and we need to remember that. But Paul writes of the “unfathomable riches of Christ” and how that “the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ ... has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” These blessings are of a spiritual nature, i.e. they have to do with our soul/spirit and our relationship with our heavenly Father who, in fact, is spirit in nature (John 4:24). So, what are some of these spiritual blessings? > The forgiveness of our sins > Adoption as sons of God > Gift of the Holy Spirit > The righteousness of Christ > Eternal life > Fellow heirs with Christ > Reconciliation with God > Answered prayers in the name of Jesus > Redemption by the blood of Christ > Freedom from guilt > Freedom from the power of the devil > Hope of the resurrection > Members of the church, the family of God > The sword of the Spirit, Word of truth > Fellowship with Christ and all other saints > Continual shepherding by the Lord Jesus > Freedom from law > Participation in the Lord’s Supper > Angels minister on our behalf > Privileged to be a disciple of Christ Jesus Can you name any more? ><> Jeff

1 Corinthians 11:27-32 We just received the notice for the annual “termite inspection” for our house. Several years ago, we had termites (i.e., our house, not us! - no comments, please), and we had to employ a service to get rid of them and then give us an annual check-up in case they return. We all get regular check-ups on many things in life, especially our vehicles and our bodies. Most of us also keep a close eye on our bank accounts to see what condition they are in. If we don’t, that can cause us quite a bit of trouble. But how well do we do in checking our spiritual selves? In his instructions about eating the Lord’s supper, Paul admonished the Corinthian church for each person to “examine himself.” Here in our assembly we provide a quiet period for meditation before the supper. Obviously, we think about Jesus, His crucifixion and resurrection at that time. But we also need to think about ourselves. (Read the entire text yourself.) Are we in the right frame of mind today? Does something in my life need corrected? Have a been devoted to the Lord lately or following worldly pursuits? The Lord’s supper is not a sacrament or avenue of worship, but a refocus and remembering of my Lord, His saving me, and my relationship with Him as well as my brothers and sisters in the body. But examining our spiritual selves is not something to be done only on Sunday morning. In fact, if we’re doing it on a regular basis, a “before the supper” examination would hardly be needed. In every New Testament letter, exhortations and admonitions abound for the readers to heed the words of the writer about growing in Christ, putting off sin, being involved in good works, etc. The words of God are not simply to be absorbed but to be personally applied. Our self-examination must be honest with a desire to please our Lord. As David wrote: “Search me, O God, and know my heart ...and see if there be any hurtful way in me” (Psalm 139:23-24). We should acknowledge any “hurtful” ways and ask God to help us work them out. If godly ways are found, rejoice in the Lord! Don’t let the termites eat away your house. ><> Jeff

Galatians 4:1-5 God oversees the workings of men and nations on the earth. He works within history. Some people want to deny this, but we know it’s true. How do we know? God Himself has told us. He told the prophet Habakkuk (1:5-6) that He was “raising up the Chaldeans” to come and chastise Judah for her unfaithfulness. (Actually, the prophet has a difficult time believing that God would do this, but that’s another story.) How did He do that without violating long-established truths, especially the free will of mankind and the character of God Himself? To me this remains a mystery, but must fall within the purview of God’s right to govern His creation. His ways are unfathomable (Romans 11:33) but altogether righteous (Psalm 145:17). When Abraham lied about his wife Sarah to Abimelech, how did God keep him from coming near Sarah? - Genesis 20:6 When Abraham’s servant went back to Abraham’s people to find a wife for Isaac, how is it that the first maiden to come out to him at the well did exactly as he had prayed and was from Abraham’s family? - Genesis 24:12-26 How is it that God is said to have sent Joseph to Egypt as a slave even though Joseph’s brothers actually did the evil deed? - Genesis 45:4-8 How is it that Moses happened to be pasturing Jethro’s flock on the slopes of Mt. Horeb (Sinai), which is actually quite a distance from Midian? - Exodus 3:1 How is it that King Ahasuerus happened to be restless on a certain night and happened to want to read from the book of record, and it happened that an account of Mordecai’s good deed was read even as Mordecai’s enemy was coming to the palace? - Esther 6:1-5 How is it that “when the fulness of the time came” that in a certain town called Bethlehem (as prophesied) a certain Child was born who came to fulfill over three hundred prophecies and provide the human race with an opportunity for eternal life? Not totally sure. But, oh so thankful! ><> Jeff

Colossians 1:9-10 Throughout the New Testament, Jesus is called “Lord.” He is affirmed “Lord of all” (Romans 10:12), and He sits at the right hand of the Father reigning in His kingdom. Lord speaks of authority: synonyms are ruler and master. We would do well to remember that if we want Jesus as our Savior we should also want Him as our Lord whose example and teachings will guide us in all we do. If Jesus is Lord... > ...in my life, I will seek to honor Him in how I live. > ...in my home, words of truth and love will be spoken. > ...in my house, I will keep it clean and welcoming. > ...in my kitchen, flavorful, healthy food will be prepared there for my family and guests. > ...in my garage, I will keep my vehicles well-maintained and ready for use. > ...in my yard, I well keep it neat and attractive. > ...in my workplace, I will put in a good day’s work and be helpful to fellow workers. > ...in my schooling, I will study hard, do the assignments and work to better myself. > ...in my thinking, I will work hard to keep out evil thoughts and to be guided by God’s word in how I think. > ...over my computer and cell phone, I will avoid visual and verbal interactions which incite lust, hatred and greed. > ...over my money, I will spend wisely and give generously. > ...on the highway, I will drive courteously and safely. > ...over my body, I will maintain good health and treat my body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. > ...when I’m in the assembly, I will worship in spirit and truth and give encouragement to my brothers and sisters. > ...over my day, I will be alert for opportunities to do good. If Jesus is Lord... ><> Jeff

John 10:10 Jesus tells His disciples (and us) that He came so that “they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Certainly the Lord has eternal life in mind, but He doesn’t only have eternal life in mind. Jesus’ life was filled with too much goodness and blessing to others; and our own life experiences tell us that He has more than eternal life in view. But how many of us truly appreciate Jesus’ words and seek to live our lives to the full with “our cups running over”? Life is an opportunity - seize it. Life is a gift - open it. Life is a blessing - receive it. Life is a journey - take it. Life is dream - follow it. Life is an adventure - get into it. Life is a song - sing it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a joy - celebrate it. Life is a sorrow - feel it. Life is a puzzle - unravel it. Life is a struggle - wrestle with it. Life is a quest - complete it. Life is a banquet - taste it. Life is a dance - move with it. Life is a task - do it. Life is a wonder - marvel at it. Life is a conversation - join it. Life is a battle - engage it. Life is a mountain - climb it. Life is a new land - explore it. Life is a love - embrace it. So, ask yourself this question: Am I living an abundant life, or just hangin’ out? Hmmm? ><> Jeff

Luke 6:27-28 One day I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean he was really friendly. So I asked, “Why did you just do that? That guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!” This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call “The Law of the Garbage Truck.” He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage – frustration, anger, disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they’ll dump it on you. Don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don’t take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don’t. – via mikeysfunnies.com Jesus would agree with the taxi driver but takes it to another level: “...love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” This isn’t easy to do and must be learned as a person grows in Christ. But to return good for evil (Romans 12:21) has a two-fold blessing. It brings a fulfilling joy, and it honors our heavenly Father. Oh, and there’s one final take-away from our “Law of the Garbage Truck.” Don’t be a “garbage truck!” Take care of your “garbage” before it piles up. Jesus will help you do that, too. ><> Jeff

Ecclesiastes 12:11 Here’s another sampling of the wise sayings and quotes I’ve compiled over the years. Read, ponder, enjoy and be blessed! > Why do we spend hours on our screens but only minutes on our knees? > People who say “I wish I had time to read” are not readers. > ... if one does not know where he is going, is it any wonder that he does not know that he is lost? – Ravi Zacharias > If your church left town overnight, would it be missed? – Roy Kent > It is noteworthy that whenever the Future comes, it is always wearing Today’s clothes. > The church must be led to dream again because to stand still is to die. > Everything less than the cross is a tragic underestimation of sin. – Jim McGuiggan > We should consider that worshiping God is more for our benefit than His. > The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life. – Muhammad Ali > The modern world has scrambled things so badly that today we worship our work, we work at our play, and we play at our worship. – Os Guinness ><> Jeff

Hosea 4:6; 1 Corinthians 8:1-3 Someone has said, “The more you know, the more you understand how much you don’t know!” (Or words to that effect) It’s true. Knowledge among various disciplines is interrelated, and the more one learns, the more he/she sees the need to expand their horizons. Knowledge is cumulative; it builds upon itself. This is no more evident than in the area of mathematics. If the foundations of basic arithmetic are not solid, progress in algebra, statistics, geometry, calculus, etc. is doomed. The capacity to learn was given to man by God as part of the divine image. Knowledge is important in God’s scheme of things. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). If a person fails to learn of God and to attend to His instruction, in the end he/she will be a failure no matter what worldly accomplishments are achieved. The Lord, through the prophet Hosea, pointed out the need for knowledge to His people Israel: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge...” Israel had not so much forgotten the Lord God Himself but had “forgotten the law of your God.” They did not retain the words of the Almighty nor seek to follow His commandments. Consequently, they had fallen into idolatry and all sorts of sinful behavior. As a result, God was giving them up to destruction. However necessary knowledge is, it can be detrimental. Paul warns the Corinthian brethren that “knowledge makes arrogant” (puffs up). This is knowledge for knowledge’s sake. To become a library of scripture knowledge or a fountain of Bible trivia but fail to put it to use is a vain thing. We see that this is Paul’s point for in the next thought he says, “but love edifies” (or builds up). Love puts its knowledge to use in its own life and for the benefit of others. Love will take what it knows and build up the faith and works of the whole congregation. So we see the need to keep knowledge in proper balance. Learning the truths of God’s word is necessary for growing as a Christian. Putting the knowledge learned into practice is just as needful. Let us work hard to do both. ><> Jeff

Ephesians 5:14-17 Someone has said, “Time is money.” This is true if we are running a business or working a job. But time is much more precious than money. Time is priceless. Just ask anyone who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Ask an older person who has indulged in a “party” lifestyle and now has nothing to show for their life. Just ask a student who wasted the whole semester in fun stuff and now has a term paper due in two days. What makes time invaluable? Without time nothing can be accomplished. We can do many things without money. We can accomplish much without special skills. But when there’s no time, there’s no opportunity. You just can’t do. In our text, Paul cautions about “making the most” of our time. He exhorts that we be wise and “not be foolish” about how we walk and in particular about how we use the time God gives us. Two things are worthy of a word or two. First, Paul writes to “understand what the will of the Lord is.” In other words, what are the things God wants us to do with our time? We know the teachings about worship, fellowship and good works. Are these things priorities on our schedules and “be ready to do” lists? Most of us are well-intentioned, but the world has a way of stealing our time and leaving us wondering where it went! Secondly, Paul notes, “the days are evil.” Does he mean there are no “good” days? Some of you grumpy, crabby types might say “yes” to that! But Paul means that evil is everywhere and is always lurking to steal our time. There are two ways this can happen. Some days, bad things happen: you wake up with a headache, there’s a snow storm, the car won’t start - such things interrupt our lives and steal time. Then, of course, the devil is always ready to pounce and divert the use of our time. Some pleasure and relaxation is good (1 Timothy 6:17), even necessary, but the evil one keeps tempting us to do the “fun stuff” and avoid doing the things which will bring real and lasting joy to other folks and to our selves. Time is priceless. How do you spend yours? ><> Jeff

John 11:38-48 The gospels record many of the miracles which Jesus did - from healings, to casting out demons, to raising the dead. And the response to those miracles was varied. Some people believed in Jesus at the first sign. Many questioned. Some were afraid. Others were offended. One of the most intriguing responses to one of Jesus’ miracles is found in our text. Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead; his body had been lifeless and in the grave for four days. Dead for sure. But Jesus commands: “Remove the stone.” Then another command: “Lazarus, come forth.” And the dead man breathed again and came hobbling out of the tomb from one world back into the one he had already known. As a result of this incredible miracle “many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.” Wouldn’t you? In fact, haven’t you? But here’s something almost as incredible as the miracle itself. Some of those who saw this miracle of miracles simply went and told the Pharisees about it! They didn’t pause to consider what this sign meant; they just had a tale to tell. They were “good little Jews” snitching on the trouble-making rabbi. And the response of the Pharisees and chief priest to all of this is none the less astounding: “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs.” They admitted to Jesus’ attesting miracles, but even these religious leaders didn’t think to consider what they meant. They only saw an enemy who would cause them to lose “both our place and our nation.” What causes such a difference in responses to Jesus’ miracles? Even to all of the other evidence in creation and the Bible which point to a Creator God? The answer is varied. Pride. Love of the world. Don’t want to change. No love of the truth. Hard set in beliefs and way of life. Too much bother/I’m busy. Jesus noted in one place that the people’s hearts had “become dull.” So, what’s your response to this raising of the dead? Is it just a “ho hum” and “that’s nice”? Or is it perhaps “tell me more”? Or is it: “Now I believe in Jesus. What do I do next?” See me. ><> Jeff

Psalm 119:160 We live in a society right now in which the ultimate wrong is to offend somebody. Everyone is to be accepted, even validated, no matter what they think or believe or even do! Formerly this was called being “politically correct,” but now I think we can just call it being “me.” The individual has become the sole arbitrator of what is right/wrong, good/bad, true/false, etc., for themselves. So since there are no cultural “norms” anymore, it is quite easy to offend anybody! To show us how ridiculous and destructive this is, we want to suggest here how a “Me” Bible might read. Be sure and check the Bible text as you look at each verse. Luke 11:23 - He who is not with Me is just doing his own thing. He is following his own heart so leave him alone. Luke 11:28 - Blessed are those who hear the word of God and reinterpret it to suit their own lifestyle. They will be happy. Luke 12:5 - There is nothing to fear. God is not going to destroy anybody in hell. He loves all people. Luke 12:8-9 - If you don’t wish to confess Me before men, that’s OK. I realize it’s a difficult thing to do, and you might be ridiculed, or feel uncomfortable, or even lose your job. And God wouldn’t want that to happen to you. Luke 12:15 - Don’t worry about being greedy. After all, the more you have the more you can give to others, right? And you are certainly the best person to decide what to do with what you have. Luke 12:23 - If you don’t have anything to eat or anything to wear, you’ll forever be laboring to get those things. So, seek food and clothing first of all, and then you’ll be able to concentrate on the things that are more important to you in life. Luke 12:40 - Being ready for Jesus to come back would be a nice thing to do, but don’t spend too much time on it. After all, everybody is going to be saved, so it’s not such a big deal. So, how do you like the “Me” Bible. Sound familiar? Are these the words of a God of truth who genuinely loves people?

><> Bad News/Good News Genesis 50:15-21 For the brothers of Joseph, the last seventeen years had been a good ride (Genesis 47:28). They had been living in Egypt with their families and their father under the protective hand of their brother Joseph - the same Joseph whom they had hatefully sold into slavery years before. Now, however, their father Jacob was dead and no longer a buffer between them and their brother. Would Joseph seek revenge on them? They sent him a contrived message from their father; then came in person asking forgiveness. Joseph is not about to hold things against them, however. His answer: “you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” Their bad turned out for good because God was behind it all. What an awesome God we have! Life is often like this. Having the right perspective on things can turn something bad into something good. Trusting that God is always working can give us peace in difficult times. Do we see only the bad or do we look for the good? The bad news: We need to go grocery shopping. The good news: we don’t have to go catch a chicken, wring its neck, bleed it, pluck its feathers, etc. The bad news: Tomorrow I have to go to work. The good news: You have a job to earn money for taking care of your needs. The bad news: The kids sure are rowdy today. The good news: God has blessed you with children! The bad news: The electric bill came today. The good news: You have electric lights, a refrigerator, a television (maybe more than one), air conditioning, a computer, cell phones to charge... The bad news: Mrs Crumpmeier sings loudly and off key. The good news: Mrs Crumpmeier is a faithful member of the church and is always ready to help out. The bad news: The Bible points out many of my personal sins and failings. The good news: Jesus has provided for my forgiveness and helps me change into what I should be. Is life all bad for you? Or do you look for the good? ><> Jeff