This Week in “Paradise” Oct. 1

This week in the earthly “paradise” otherwise known as the pastor’s home, I threw …

Caution to the Wind
Monday night I was standing at the kitchen counter, halving some of my prescription pills with the pill splitter, and placing a half tablet of that particular medication in each slot of the weekly pill holder for the next 7 days. Cheryl came out of the office and saw me and said, “Should you be standing there like that?”
I responded: “No … but you know me; just ‘born to be wild’!” 😉

Einstein?
Sometimes when I am not feeling well, I do not care what I look like. I had a day like that last week, when Cheryl, Michael & I were waiting at McDonalds drive-through. Cheryl looked over at me and said, “I hope no one can see your hair through that window.” I told her I didn’t care. Michael had a plan: “We’ll just tell them he’s a German scientist!”

Ambush!
I have mentioned before that I have been doing “laps” in the house for my walks, since it has been so hot and humid out. I go from the dining room, through the kitchen, then down the front hallway, in a little “loop.” But one day last week, I was “ambushed.” Eponine, our kitten, saw me doing these “laps”, and at first just watched me make several rounds, with obvious interest. Then suddenly, she began springing out and making faux “attacks” at me, from underneath the dining room table, or from a spot in the bookshelf in the hallway — or my favorite, from under the buffet table. I never knew where the “ambush” would come from next! Making my circuit on the lookout for the next assault, I felt exactly like the old wagon trains of yesteryear must have — just waiting for the next “surprise attack”!

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First Big Kill!
Speaking of Eponine, she not only launches fake attacks at the “wagon train” as it goes by — she is starting to live up to her potential as a great hunter. She brought her first “kill” up to me on the carpet, see:

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What’s That?
I said something to Cheryl Saturday while we were watching a football game, and she said, “I am getting harder of hearing, and your voice keeps trailing off.”
I said, “Hmm .. that’s not a very good combination, is it?”
Cheryl: “Whatever you just said, I couldn’t hear it!”

Oh yeah; it’s “Paradise”! 😉

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“What Real Faith Looks Like: The Blame Game” (James 1:13-16)

I have noticed that during this election season there have been a lot of references to former President Ronald Reagan. Many are wishing for a candidate like him, and for a return to his kind of conservative vision. I remember the presidency of Ronald Reagan, and he was far from perfect, but he was a good president and certainly had a good political philosophy. One of the things Reagan preached was the doctrine of personal responsibility. He said:

“We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.”

Like many things President Reagan said, that quote is like a breath of fresh air in a society today where everyone is trying to blame someone else for the ills that have befallen them. Everyone is engaging in “The Blame Game” – blaming someone or something else for their problems. President Reagan said we need to get back to the “American precept” that each individual is accountable for their actions – well, that is not only an “American precept”; it is a BIBLICAL precept as well. Getting out of “The Blame Game” and admitting responsibility for your sins is one of the single most important steps that anyone can take.
Let’s read James Chapter 1 together again, and come back and look at what our passage for today, :13-16, has to teach us about “What Real Faith Looks Like: The Blame Game.” Continue reading

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Out of Her Poverty

In Mark 12:44 Jesus said the poor widow gave “out of her poverty”. This is surely a landmark teaching, for if Jesus had not spoken this, we might all still believe that those who gave the largest amounts were the greatest givers. But this story, which has become so well-known, sets that idea on its ear, and has stood as a comfort, and a challenge, to our giving ever since. Continue reading

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Religion or Love?

I am often apologized to by spouses of people who are suffering from an illness, and who have not been to church for some time because they have been caring for their husband or wife. I always assure them that they are doing the right thing; that taking care of their spouse is the more godly thing to do than the religious activity of “going to church.” And Jesus’ teaching in Mark 12 affirms that: Continue reading

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An Ugly Picture

Proverbs 19:24 gives us a grotesque picture: “The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, but will not even bring it back to his mouth.” It is a disgusting thought indeed — but it may hit closer to home than you might think!

Continue reading

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Let Him Bear The Penalty (Tough Love)

There is a lesson in Proverbs 19:19 which can be hard to apply. It says: “A man of great anger will bear the penalty; for if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.”
This passage is not only talking about anger; it calls for what has been labeled “tough love.” There are times when a person has brought something upon himself, and he must “bear the penalty” in order to really absorb the lesson God is trying to teach him. In the example of this verse, it is the person’s anger which has brought about the penalty, but there are many other potential causes as well. When a person is in a situation like that, you need to let him “bear the penalty”, for if you “bail him out”, he is not going to learn, and as the verse says, “you will only have to do it again.” He won’t learn until you do. Continue reading

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This Week in “Paradise” Sept. 24

Big news in “Paradise” this week, with the much-anticipated announcement that pretty much overshadowed everything else: our first grandchild is on the way! (I’ll still give you everything else anyway. Well, almost everything! 😉

So That’s News?
Monday I was home sick and was watching the news reports of the unrest in the Muslim world. The news cameras were focused on how the Arab protesters were burning a picture of President Obama, and were stomping on it and hurling epithets at him. “What’s news about that”, I said. “A lot of us are doing that here in the States!” Continue reading

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Does Praise Look Good On You?

Someone has said that a good interpretation of Psalm 33:2 might be: “praise ‘looks good’ on the upright.” The righteous are commanded to praise God, and it is fitting and comely when they do. But we may also infer a couple of other things from that statement: Continue reading

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“What Real Faith Looks Like: Perseverance” (James 1:12)

     In 1998, I ran the Tulsa Run road race with Paul, David & Libby, our three oldest kids.   Cheryl took a picture of the four of us at my favorite time of a race: when it was OVER!  After the Tulsa run they had huge tables of cokes, Gatorade, water, and big selections of candy bars and all kinds of snacks.  We had run that race together, and in the picture I had a big smile, because we had gathered up all the “rewards” and now we could celebrate!  The race was hard – but it made the rewards very sweet!

     The running of a race is often used as an illustration of the Christian life, and it is an apt illustration.  A race has a beginning, but it requires perseverance to reach the end.  And that is how it is with the Christian life, too.  Unfortunately, many people don’t seem to understand that the Christian life involves perseverance.  Perseverance demonstrates that our faith is real, and is necessary if we are going to see the reward of heaven.  James 1:12 shows us “What Real Faith Looks Like” when it says:

“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

 I.  The Proof of Perseverance Continue reading

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A Providential Encounter

Genesis 35:15-17 is a little paragraph that might look insignificant: just “a man” with whom Joseph has what many would think a “chance encounter.”  But this little narrative is actually of great significance.  “All scripture is inspired of God”, and this one is here for a purpose.  It demonstrates God’s providence in the coordination of seemingly insignificanct incidents in order to fulfill His purposes.  Continue reading

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