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Matthew 26:33-35 , 69-75             We have all experienced failure - some minor mess ups and some major disasters.  Here are some thoughts in dealing with failure.   Failure doesn't mean - "You are a failure," It means - You have not succeeded.   Failure doesn't mean - "You accomplished nothing," It means - You have learned something.   Failure doesn't mean - "You have been a fool," It means - You had a lot of faith.   Failure doesn't mean - "You don't have it," It means - You were willing to try.   Failure doesn't mean - "You are inferior," It means - You are not perfect.   Failure doesn't mean - "You've wasted your life," It means - You have a reason to start afresh.   Failure doesn't mean - "You should give up," It means - You must try again.   Failure doesn't mean - "You'll never make it," It means - It will take a little longer.   Failure doesn't mean - "God has abandoned you," It means - God has a better way for you.                                     – via Mikey’s Funnies               Peter failed the Lord miserably but recovered to be one of the leading apostles.  Don’t let failure stop you; use it to invigorate you!                                                             ><>  Jeff

Acts 26:24-29             One of the main differences between Christianity and other religious faiths is that it is objectively verifiable while others are not.  Let me explain.  The visit of Jesus the Son of God to the earth was done in real time in a real place in a real body.  Jesus, the carpenter’s son, grew up in Nazareth.  He was seen in Capernaum, Cana, Nain, Samaria, Jericho, Bethany, Jerusalem and countless other places.  People of all walks of life heard Him teach, conversed with Him and witnessed His miracles.  Those who were healed of some infirmity became walking witnesses  to Jesus’ healing power.  Much of what He did, said and taught was recorded by and through eye witnesses.             When this Jesus of Nazareth was tried and put to death by order of Pilate, a great crowd was present.  His death was verified by His enemies.  His burial place was not obscure.  He was seen alive after His resurrection by hundreds ( 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 ).  As Paul said to King Agrippa, “For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner.”  God had nothing to hide - in fact, He wanted all the world to see and hear His Son so they would have opportunity to believe in Him and be saved to life eternal.             Contrast all of this with other religions (some of which even call themselves “Christian”) who lean heavily if not exclusively on things which no one else can verify.  They have seen visions and dreams, and have mystical encounters with God or spirits.  They enter caves and emerge with an entire holy book from God.  An angel pays them a visit and gives them special plates with new revelations from the Almighty.  None of these happenings are verifiable.  You must simply take someone else’s word for what they say happened.  When there is such a lack of proof or evidence, it makes for an extremely shaky and dangerous foundation on which to build one’s entire life - and one’s life to come.  Extremely shaky indeed!             On the other hand, Jesus’ whole life is an open book.  It can be checked out by people even today.  Have you?  So, what do you think?                                                             ><>  Jeff

Ephesians 4:32             Kindness seems to be something which is lost on today’s world.  Even in the church, the need to be kind is often not preached nor practiced.  Kindness is a part of the fruit of the Spirit ( Galatians 5:22 ).  It is the second thing mentioned by Paul when he tries to describe love ( 1 Corinthians 13:4 ).  Obviously, kindness, for God, is a very important part of a Christian’s way of life.             Could you define kindness?  It’s not easy.  It’s one of those things which is probably better observed than defined.  So let’s look at it in a kind of reverse way, from the standpoint of the individual.   Nobody likes...             ...to be taken for granted.             ...to be left out or overlooked.             ...to be treated like they don’t matter.             ...to be lied to.             ...to be lied about.             ...to be ignored.             ...to be talked about behind their back.             ...to be forgotten.             ...to be pushed aside.             ...to be considered unimportant.             ...to be taken advantage of.             ...to be second guessed.             ...to be publically embarrassed or laughed at.             ...to be treated unfairly.               “Be kind to one another...”  Being kind is part of how we love other people.  It does take some effort.  It requires some positive action, some from the heart consideration.             In speaking of God, Paul reminds us ( Romans 2:4 ) of the “riches of His kindness” and “that the kindness of God leads you to repentance.”  As God has shown great kindness to us, let us be kind to one another.                                                             ><>  Jeff

Psalm 62:1-8             God is truly amazing in His dealings with us people.  He enters into covenants with us, His creation, and makes personal promises to the human race.  He invites us to pray and ask Him to bless us and take care of our needs.  It is easy when God is so “accommodating” to begin to think that He is our personal servant who will come running as soon as we ring our little bell.  We must always be careful not to presume upon the graciousness of God and be mindful that He is the Eternal and we are the dust.             Moses was summoned by God to come up onto Mount Sinai and receive the law on the stone tablets ( Exodus 24:12-18 ).  He took Joshua with him, but only Moses approached near to God.  As Moses climbed up the mountain, a cloud came down and settled on the mountain top - the glory of the Lord.  It would seem that under such circumstances Moses would have been eager to hear from God and even talk with Him.  But God had called for the meeting, and He was in no hurry.  God never seems to be in a hurry.  The Lord, apparently, had additional purposes in mind for this get together.             For six days Moses waited in the cloud for a word from God - six days!  We get upset when we wait for 45 minutes in the doctor’s office.  When our spouse is 30 minutes late coming home from work.  When the preacher talks 10 minutes longer than usual (5 minutes for some!).  Six days!   And not a word from God.             What does a person do for six days in a cloud of glory of the Lord while waiting for Him to speak to you?  Worship.  Meditate.  Humble oneself.  Learn.  On the seventh day, God spoke to Moses.             So after we have brought our petitions, supplications, and prayers to God, we must wait for His response.  God will not be hurried.  He has the best perspective on all things.  He has already been working on an answer.             What do we do while we wait?  Worship.  Meditate.  Humble ourselves.  Learn.  On the “seventh day” , God will answer.             Be sure your ears are tuned for the voice of God.  Oh, and be sure to wait in silence for sometimes God speaks in a whisper.                                                             ><>  Jeff

Isaiah 40:26             There is something “different” about lying on your back in the grass and looking up into the sky.  Do you remember doing this as a child?  On a summer day we would lie on our backs in the yard and watch the clouds roll across the sky.  We looked for images in the cloud formations, and on the right kind of day with the right kind of clouds the number of images which kept forming was amazing.  One I still remember to this day was a fully rigged, three-masted sailing ship.  No, I’m not kidding.  It was incredible!             On a clear, warm summer night, we would spread a blanket on the ground and watch for shooting stars.  (Meteors, if you will, for the scientific minded, but shooting stars for those more poetically inclined).  The sky would usually accommodate us with several sightings - a sudden spot of light, a bright slash across the sky and then gone.  What still amazes me to this day is that they make no sound.             We tried to identify constellations - the big dipper and Orion were easy.  On some nights we could count the seven sisters.  But this I still remember, too.  At times, you would just stare deep into the blackness between the stars and wonder - How far does it go?  Is there anything else out there?  It always gave me a kind of eerie feeling and even made me feel a little afraid.  There was this sense of being so small.        I have come to believe that these are all “God things.”             God has designed this universe (at least in part) to put a sense of awe into us, and He has designed our hearts to so respond to His creation.  When we look up and truly see and ponder the vastness of the cosmos and the glories of the sky, we shall be struck with this sense of wonder above and this feeling of our own feebleness below.             No doubt David experienced much of this when he was out tending the sheep on the hillsides.  Is it any wonder that he wrote: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him...?” ( Psalm 8:3-4 )?             Try to do some looking up in the very near future.  You might be amazed at what you see!                                                             ><>  Jeff

Christianity is about perspective. God is working everywhere, all the time. Yet, many people don't see it. You have to be willing to look for God if you want to see what He's doing. But if you are, He'll show you. In my short time in the ministry, I can't tell you how many times I've already made some variation of that point. To others, and to myself. To non-Christians, it's shockingly easy to dismiss God's works as chance and coincidences. Even to Christians, it's exceptionally easy to get caught up in wondering where God is or why He isn't doing what we expect Him to. I struggle with this as much as anyone. So, I want to share an experience with you that opened my eyes to how God can communicate with us. This was something that God showed me when I was willing to stop and listen to Him, even if He still had to get my attention first (like I said, I'm still learning this myself). At the end of last semester, I was stressed. Finals had just finished. God had answered my prayers, my grades were what I had hoped for, and I could finally call it quits until graduation a few days later (where I play in the band). Despite that, I couldn't relax. God had been actively working in my life, and everything had worked out right, but I still couldn't let myself breathe. In my mind, there was still so much to worry about. “One of my closest friends is graduating. I'm starting an internship in a few weeks. I still need to learn to drive! What's my friend group going to be like next semester? What about our Bible study?” and on and on. I tend to spiral like that. I decided that I needed to get out of my own headspace. So, I took a walk. I grabbed my earbuds, turned some music on, and walked out the door. It was early evening on one of the few nice days we get in May. As I walked, I came to a spot on campus I had never seen before. It was just a nice little group of trees and underbrush behind one of our bigger buildings. But what caught my attention was the birds. Mind you, I had earbuds in listening to music, and I heard these birds as clear as day. It was beautiful! So I stopped. I stopped walking. I stopped the music. I just stopped and listened. After a moment, something occurred to me. Ina way I can't quite explain, I got the impression that God was trying to show me something. So, I started back on my walk and did what anyone who wants to talk to God should do. I started praying. As I walked, I prayed about everything that was on my mind. I laid it all out before God. All of my worries and all of the things I wanted answers to. Everything I could think of. As I wound down my list, something else happened. I reached the top of a hill. As far out as I could see into the distance, I could only see trees. It was a nice view, but most people wouldn't think much of it (myself included). But as I stood there, I once again had a weird thought/feeling. As best as I can put it into words, it was along the lines of “As far out as you can see is God's creation. God plans our futures the same way. He has them laid out as far as the eye can see.” This wasn't a booming voice from the Heavens” or any such thing, but I've also never been so sure that a thought I've had wasn't mine. By all accounts, all I had done was look at some trees. Yet, I stood there in awe of God. As I turned to walk back, I began praying again. But this time, it was to thank God. For everything that He had done for me that semester, and for what He was showing me now. Then, I stopped one more time with a final observation. I was now looking back at the university. I saw man's creation of buildings, roads, and sidewalks. But, among it all were grass and trees. Even where man had tried to cover it, God's creation encompassed it all. So I had the thought: Our lives are the same then, right? No matter what Satan and the rest of the world do in our lives, it's all on God's earth, within His plan, and within His power. Now, I want to be clear. I'm not going to claim that anyone who goes on a walk will receive a message from God. Or even that I was “spoken to”, “singled out”, or that I could recreate this experience. But I think it proves a point. I went searching for God and I found Him ( Matthew 7:7 ). I saw God's glory in His creation ( Psalms 19 ). I was reassured that He had a plan for me ( Jeremiah 29:11 ) and that nothing happens outside of God's control ( Lamentations 3:37 ). I left for that walk with many questions and many worries. While I came back with no specific answers, every concern had been alleviated. I knew God was in control, and that was all I needed. So, I'll leave you with this: If you want to hear from God, He'll be more than happy to talk to you. But you have to be willing to get out of your own way to listen and look for His response because it often won't be the answer we want or expect. But it *will* be the one you need. Most people on that walk would have heard birds and seen trees. I found God. You can, too! ( Ryan Zumpano is a member of the Shadyside Church of Christ, a student at West Liberty University , and a Leader for Cru - Christian Campus Ministry).

Ephesians 6:4             Besides plain teaching, rearing a child requires a good balance of praise and discipline.  Too often we focus on the discipline and correction aspect and neglect the praise.  The following was taken from a bookmarker which Potter Children’s Home distributed some years ago titled: 100 Ways to Praise a Child.      Far Out - Great - Outstanding Performance - Marvelous I Can’t Get Over It - Wonderful - Amazing Effort - Phenomenal Unbelievable Work - You Should Feel Good - You’ve Got It Superb - You’re Special - Cool - Excellent - Way To Go Your Project Is First Rate - You’ve Outdone Yourself - Terrific Thumbs Up - What a Great Listener - Your Help Counts You Came Through - You Tried Hard - Fabulous - Bravo You Made It Happen - You’re a Real Trooper - You’re Unique Exceptional - Fantastic Work - Breathtaking - Awesome Keep Up the Good Work - You’re a Great Example - Out of Sight I Knew You Had It In You - What an Imagination - Stupendous You’re Sensational - Very Good - You Made the Difference Good For You - A+ Work - Take a Bow - Super Job How Thoughtful of You - Nice Going - Class Act - Well Done You’re Inspiring - How Artistic - You Go the Extra Mile Hooray for You - You’re a Joy - You’re Amazing - Great Answer What a Great Idea - Extra Special Work - You’re Tops - Clever Remarkable - You’ve Got What It Takes - You’re Neat Spectacular Work - You’re #1 - You’re a Winner - Beautiful You’re So Kind - Wow - Magnificent - You’re Sharp - Brilliant Great Discovery - You’re Very Responsible - Thanks for Helping Thanks for Caring - You’re Very Talented - How Original You Figured It Out - Right On - You Make Me Smile               Actually, these could be used to praise and encourage anybody who is deserving regardless of age.  Let’s do more praising and thanking of our children.  Adults, too!                                                             ><>  Jeff

Matthew 9:9 ; Luke 5:27-28             We can only imagine what was going through Matthew’s mind after this unorthodox rabbi name Jesus stopped at his tax booth and said, “Follow Me.”  It would seem to me that this Jesus was not someone entirely unknown to Matthew.  The text here indicates that this took place in Galilee where Jesus healed and taught quite openly.  So Matthew would have had ample opportunity to hear about Jesus if not personally hear Him teach or observe a miracle or two.             On the other hand, Jesus was probably not unfamiliar with Matthew, either.  He had no doubt traveled that road many times and observed him from a distance.  We know that Jesus had this unique if not miraculous ability to assess the character of individuals.  So when He stepped over to that tax booth that day, looked Matthew right in the eye, and said, “Follow Me,” He knew what He was doing.             The thought-provoking question is whether Matthew knew what he was getting into!  What was going through his mind?  Sure he knew about this Jesus’ different message and was no doubt aware of the miracles, but did he know what lay ahead if he agreed?  Did he have any inkling of Who this was?  Of what kind of adventure awaited him?  Of where this path would lead?             Someone has said, “When you chose the path, you choose the destination.”  Quite true.  And so it was true of Matthew.  There was something about this Nazarene that caused him to get up from that tax booth and just walk away from it all.  He could not have known where this decision would lead him, be he obviously was willing to risk it all on the rabbi named Jesus.  It must have been both thrilling and a little scarey at the same time.  Sort of like riding a roller coaster.             Jesus calls to us even today: “Follow Me.”  The choice is the same as the one Matthew made.  Will you risk it all on this Jesus of Nazareth who is called Christ?  Do you trust Him?  Do you believe His words?  Are you willing to place yourself in His hands and let Him lead you on an adventurous journey through life culminating in a glorious new home and life eternal?             Well?  Are you?                                                             ><>  Jeff

Judges 17:6; 21:25             Judges records for us numerous egregious and even bizarre transgressions of the law by Israel: murder, rape, idolatry, fornication, more murder, etc.  Two times the author notes that “there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”  The point was that there was no constant leadership to provide a good example in obedience to the law and to protect the citizenry from lawbreakers.  Later, when a king was anointed, he was charged with ruling by the law of God ( Deuteronomy 17:14-20 ).  He was to have his own copy of the law, “read it all the days of his life,” and observe all its words.             Today, we very much live in a time when people want to do what’s right in their own eyes, and choose their own truth.  They listen to a myriad of voices other than the Lord’s voice as set forth in the pages of the Holy Scriptures, and they pick and choose what they think is right or what suits their lifestyle.  The following list provides some of these alternate “voices”:                                      >           Their pastor or preacher or priest                                    >           Their favorite author                                    >           Their favorite podcaster or website                                    >           Their church creeds and church council decrees                                    >           Their favorite TV evangelist or religious program                                    >           Their own personal feelings and ideas                                    >           Their very spiritual friend                                    >           Their family traditions                                    >           The comments found in their study Bible                                    >           Anybody with a degree from a Bible college or seminary               We could go on.  Peter (2:1:3) tells us that God has given to us “everything pertaining to life and godliness.”  These things are found in the Holy Scriptures and no where else!  The first century church had all that was needed for following the Way of Christ.  And so do we.  We have the Book of God!  We don’t need anything else.                                                             ><>  Jeff

Ecclesiastes 12:11             Here’s another installment of the sayings and quotes I’ve collected over the years.  Read, reflect, enjoy and be blessed!   >                    Is the “good news” good enough for you to share with your neighbor?   >                    The mortality rate on earth is still 100%.   >                    The church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners.       – Morton Kelsey   >                    Old Russian proverb: Those who have the disease called “Jesus” will never be cured.   >                    How long will it be before we discover we cannot dazzle God with our accomplishments?  – Brennan Manning   >                    What I received I gave away.  What I gave away I have.   >                    Some Christians never die with Christ – they just gasp a little on Sunday morning.   >                    “When men stop believing in God, they do not believe in nothing; they believe in anything.”  – G. K. Chesterton   >                    At the heart of one’s tongue problem is a problem of the heart.   >                    We want God to bless what we do when we should also want what we do to bless God.   >                    The most dangerous place on earth to live is outside the kingdom of God.                                                             ><>  Jeff

1 Timothy 2:8             He saw that look in her eye, again.  Brother Jones was one of the shepherds for the congregation, and sister Delaney was always one to speak her mind.  (Not that it’s a bad thing to speak one’s mind, but when she spoke it was always about her mind, if you know what that means.)  Brother Jones was smiling at her.             “Well, now I’ve seen it all,” sister Delaney snapped.             “Good morning, Isabella.  What is it that you have seen now?” replied brother Jones.             “During brother Williamson’s prayer I heard a strange noise behind me, and I wanted to see what was causing it, but you’d never guess what I saw!”             “Maybe some people praying?” offered the elder.             “Well, I never did see what caused that noise because when I looked up I noticed that brother Williamson was praying with his arms outstretched and his hands raised up toward the ceiling.”             “That’s what you saw - brother Williamson praying?”             “Yes, but with his arms like that.  In all my years of going to church, I’ve never  seen anybody pray like that.  People are always doing things different now-a-days.  Why can’t we just do things like we’ve always done them?” grumbled the good sister.             “Actually, praying like that is a very old custom.  Paul mentions it in First Timothy.  Jewish men in particular would pray like that,” brother Jones pointed out.             “Well, it seems very strange to me - and unnerving.  I don’t think it should be allowed,” sister Delaney asserted.             “And should we begin dictating that people must pray with heads bowed, eyes closed and hands folded together?”             “Maybe.  At least that way we’d all know what we’re supposed to do.”             “We do know what we’re supposed to do, sister.  We’re to pray with the spirit and the understanding - to pray without ceasing.  Let’s be careful not to confuse traditions we’ve known with what the Word actually teaches.  It’s easy to do.”                                                             ><>  Jeff

James 2:10-13             (The following anecdote is via Mikey’s Funnies)             When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast for dinner every now and then.  And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work.  On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad.  I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!             Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school.  I don’t remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit.  He ate every bite of that thing ... never made a face not uttered a word about it!             When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits.  And I’ll never forget what he said: “Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then.”             Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night, and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned.  He wrapped me in his arms and said, “Your Momma put in a hard day at work today, and she’s real tired.  And besides - a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!”             As I’ve grown older, I’ve thought about that many times.  Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people.  I’m not the best a anything ... just like everyone else.  But what I’ve learned over the years is that learning to accept others faults and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences are two of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.                                                             – Larry Perry               Good expectations and standards in life are necessary.  But wisdom and love must guide us to recognize the times when the rules must be relaxed.  God is not a cruel taskmaster.  We should not be one either.  James wrote: “...judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.”                                                             ><>  Jeff