Get dressed! by Pastor Clark Schultz Get dressed! This phrase starts and ends our days. Children fighting to take off their pajamas in the A.M. are arguing 12 hours later to put those same pj’s back on at the end of the day. “Why is it always a fight?” my wife and I ask. The world is evil, and for the Christian there is always a fight. The apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:11-17 to get dressed. But what do we wear? Paul has excellent fashion advice. “The helmet of salvation”: where your head goes, you go. Is your head on straight? Perhaps life makes you shake your head, but you are saved! No matter what happens, God has saved you! Let that soak into your head. “The breastplate of righteousness”: a breastplate protects the vital organs. Many in this world will take their stab at you, ridicule you, or try to tear you down. You are right with God! Christ made you righteous no matter what others hurl at you. “The belt of truth”: a belt holds up and holds close. You want the truth? God in his Word holds you up! God through his Son’s sacrifice holds you close. Finally, “your feet fitted with … readiness”: where you go, there you are. Your mission in life is not to get rich or die trying. Whatever occupation, whatever road you are on, you take the gospel with you to share with others. This peace you have of sins forgiven can be shared with others who need to get dressed!
If only the majority of the world's population understood this statement, the world would be a much better place.
Coca-Cola was originally green. It is impossible to lick your elbow. The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...) The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%
The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $6,400 The average number of people airborne over the US any given hour: 61,000 Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair. The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer. The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.
The best version of you by Pastor Daron Lindemann You are the best version of yourself when you believe that what God says about you is true. When you consume others’ social media posts and compare yourself to them or you accept the powerful propaganda that only you can decide your identity—this is not your best identity. Instead, praise God for designing you: “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). My college roommate had an afghan blanket knitted by his mom. Woven into it were all his favorite sports, hobbies, nicknames, family names, and some dates. Nobody else fit under that blanket. It was uniquely him. God knit into you everything that is uniquely you … with no mistakes. God brought into being his version of you. “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth” (Psalm 139:15). “The depths of the earth” is ancient language saying, “That’s so far away nobody knows how to get there except God.” It’s an intimate, secret place where it was only God and you. He didn’t check Pinterest. He didn’t Google nose shapes or personality mixes. Secret. Just you and God. His eyes were only on you. There and then he created, designed, sculpted, and brought into this world his version of you. Which is the best version of you. And nobody is a better you than you! So. Be. You.
If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes. Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later. Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what? A. Their birthplace Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested? A. Obsession
Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter "A"? A. One thousand Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common? A. All invented by women. Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil? A. Honey Q. Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the year? A. Father's Day
In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase......... "goodnight, sleep tight." It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month . which we know today as the honeymoon. In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them "Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down." It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's"
Many years ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. "Wet your whistle" is the phrase inspired by this practice. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and will preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming...."WOW What a Ride!!" By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. Confucius There are two spiritual dangers in not owning a farm. One is the danger of supposing that breakfast comes from the grocery, and the other that heat comes from the furnace.” -- ALDO LEOPOLD
Called out, not kicked out by Pastor Mike Novotny If I were Jesus, I would have eaten the Lord’s Supper alone. Why? Because I would have kicked out all the apostles long before that Thursday night! Read through the gospels and you’ll find Peter, James, John, and the boys saying and doing such absurd things that you expect Jesus to stop his journey, pull out his hair, and scream, “Enough! I’ve had enough! You all are done!” But Jesus didn’t do that. He often called them out, but he never kicked them out. For example, when James and John wanted to torch the ungrateful Samaritans, Luke writes, “But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village” (Luke 9:55,56). He called them out (“rebuked them”) but didn’t kick them out (“he and his disciples went”). That’s the tough yet tender love of our Savior. He’s the same way with you. Through his Word and his people, Jesus might call you out. There will be some tough moments indirectly (through a sermon/written devotion) or directly (face-to-face with a concerned Christian) when God will expose your sin and call you to repentance. But the goal is never to get rid of you. With a tender heart, God will forgive you for your sins, offer his Spirit to help you change, and continue to walk with you “to another village” in your journey to heaven. Christianity is not a religion of unconditional acceptance. It is, however, a faith filled with unconditional love. That was true for James and John, and—thank God!—it is still true for me and you.
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Mr. Common Sense. Mr. Sense had been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such value lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm and that life isn't always fair. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not kids, are in charge). His health began to rapidly deteriorate when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place - reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. Mr. Sense declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student; but, could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Finally, Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense finally gave up the ghost after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, she spilled a bit in her lap, sued, and was awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by two stepbrothers; My Rights and Ima Whiner. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. Confucius
I have the right "NOT" to be tolerant of others because they are different, weird, or tick me off. When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in cities where 70% of the population is black, that is not racial profiling, it is the Law of Probability. I believe that if you are selling me a milkshake, a pack of cigarettes, a newspaper or a hotel room, you must do it in English! As a matter of fact, if you want to be an American citizen, you should have to speak English! My father and grandfather didn't die in vain so you can leave the countries you were born in to come over and disrespect ours.
Thoughts about tomorrow...technically speaking, we celebrate killing enough of our enemy to win. This should not be overlooked as it is part of the American Identity as far as I'm concerned.
