GROWING OLD GRACEFULLY

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Since I am having a birthday this month, the last few days I have been thinking about growing older.

I like these words from Mike Cope: “I’ve seen many people age well: ripened with kindness, wisdom and patience. They age like good wine.”

Ah, that’s how I would like to ripen. If it’s not happening please tell me. You will be my friend if you do.

HOPE FOR ASU

Monday, November 05, 2007

Arizona State University has long been noted for being a party school. Nobody would have ever accused the students of praying. Well, hold the phone. Students outside the Danforth Meditation Chapel on the Tempe campus have been conducting a 24-hour-a-day, 21-day prayer marathon.

You may be saying, “If they prayed about the ASU/Oregon football game their prayers are not very effective.” Don’t be too sure. I know a lot of prayers and I feel rather strongly that they prayed for their team to do their best and for them not to get injured.” That pray may very well have been answered.

Bottom line: I see a glimmer of hope on that campus. I’m praying for the prayers. Keep it up. “Prayer changes things.”

GOING TO CHURCH

Sunday, November 04, 2007

For about fifty-six years I have been “going to church.” I have rarely ever missed--most of those Sundays I was in the pulpit. I started preaching when I was in the twelfth grade. Many think of going to church as going to the church building. I think of it as assembling with other Christians for worship.

I have worshipped with Christians in places like Ethiopia, India, Israel and many places in the United States. It is wonderful to meet with people of “like mind” and raise your voices to and bow before a Holy God. There is nothing like it. Worshipping with other Christians is one of the most important things in my life.

I hope you have a church to worship with today. Getting together with your Christian “family” is a blessing you should not miss.

DEATH--YOU CAN'T DUCK IT FOREVER

Saturday, November 03, 2007

I had my annual physical this week. Just tryin’ to stay alive. I don’t know why. It’s just somethin’ we do. But try as hard as we can, we can’t duck death forever. The writer of Hebrews tells us we are going to die!

Here are some grim facts from Job 21:23:
Some people die in the prime of life, with everything going for them—fat and sassy.
Others die bitter and bereft, never getting a taste of happiness. They’re laid out side by side in the cemetery, where the worms can’t tell one from the other. (Job 21:23-26 MSG)

But listen, it’s not all bad. God says, “The day you die is better than the day you are born” (Eccles. 7:1). The apostle Paul said, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Cor. 15:5-55)

Max Lucado says, “With Christ as your friend and heaven as your home, the day of death becomes sweeter than the day of birth.”

I don’t remember my birth but hearing about it I know it couldn’t have been all that great. So I’m glad to hear that death is sweeter. You might as well look forward to it—you can’t duck it forever!

T.V. IS NOT ALL BAD

Friday, November 02, 2007

You can learn some good stuff from watching television.

Examples:
One commercial shows several people in a tram that is stopped high in the sky. They are just dangling there in mid-air. They all look frightened and then one guy says not to worry he has been to a seminar so he starts talking. Another guy looks down, sees a start button, pushes it and they get on their way again. DON’T JUST TALK, DO SOMETHING.

Another commercial takes place in a restaurant. One man at a table starts to choke to death. One guy says he knows what the problem is and what the solution is because he has seen it demonstrated. He and the others are discussing it, the man is choking and a man from another table comes over, grabs the man around the chest and squeezes and the man coughs up the food that was choking him. DON’T JUST TALK ABOUT IT, DO SOMETHING.

On a popular Thursday night program I heard this wise saying, “It's not enough just to know about your crap, you need to do something about it. Change." I say, Amen!

CONFESSION

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Jake was dying, and his wife, Becky, was maintaining a candlelight vigil by his side. She held his fragile hand, tears running down her face. Her praying roused him from his slumber. He looked up and his pale lips began to move slightly.
"My darling Becky," he whispered.
"Hush, my love," she said. "Rest. Shhh, don't talk."
He was insistent. "Becky," he said in his tired voice. "I....I have something I must confess to you."
"There's nothing to confess," replied the weeping Becky. "Everything's all right, go to sleep."
"No, no. I must die in peace, Becky. I...I fooled around with your sister, your best friend, and her best friend!"
"I know..." Becky whispered softly, "That's why I poisoned you."