The one constant in this world is change. We can’t stop it or prevent it. When you’re your young it is easier to change than when you are old. Tell me about it. You get set in your ways and that is what you like. It doesn’t matter even if your ways are destructive. You become use it them, like old friends and acquaintances’. You can plod along in life and not knowing there is a better way. Doesn’t it annoy you when someone comes along that is truly happy with their situation in life. You see a person who knows God and happily shines their light on our lives. In that light you begin to see your life as it really is. Sometimes your life isn’t that great as you thought it was. Then it becomes really annoying. God says that the heart of man is the most deceitful thing on earth. He also says the man believes what is right in his own eyes. This is why we can’t judge rightfully on our own. God put inside of us the need to seek a higher power to help us live. People fill their lives with everything from rocks that heal to booze to drown out the sorrow. Nothing really works like it supposed to. There is really only one place we can go to receive the guidance and help for our lives and it ain’t the rocks. God loves us more than anything and is willing to help us with everything. Why is it so hard to ask Him for help? Why can’t you go to God? Yes, you will find out who you are, but it only hurts for a little while. God said call unto Me and I will show you great and mighty things which thou know not. Call Him and ask.

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That really is the question. To be a Christian or not. When I began to walk with God it was strictly by faith. I knew nothing. When I say I knew nothing. I had not read the bible at all. I was 28 years old and completely ignorant. I went to a parochial school sponsored by a church. I graduated from high school where I took religion classes and never read the bible. I had some strange ideas back then about God. I always saw God as having a big stick. If I did wrong He was going to swat me good. As God’s child I have received spankings. And I deserved it. But for the most part, His love is a far better teacher than His stick. Jesus choose 12 men to teach about the kingdom of God. All these men had a profession before Jesus picked them. Peter, Andrew, John, James, Thomas and Bartholomew were fishermen. Matthew was a tax collector. Philip, James and Judas were tradesmen. Simon and Judas were zealots, freedom fighters against the Romans. It took Jesus 3 years to teach these men about how the kingdom of God works. So when Jesus died they were ready to take over the church. In any profession there is an end goal. To learn the skills well enough to be able to function partially on your own. God is always calling people to come to Him and learn. Can you answer the question? Is it to be or not to be a Christian?

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Everybody wants to hear good news. There is so much bad news in this world. Good news like a baby is born or I got a new job or I paid off the mortgage. But it doesn’t always work that way. Why can’t we have good news all the time? What is wrong in this world that we have to hear bad news? I look at the evening news stations and all they are reporting on is death and destruction. And they say that is what the people want to hear. Why are all the new movies stupid and annoying? I must say there are a few good movies, but they are few and far between. People want to be encouraged about life. They really want to hear how someone succeeded. It is not a rare thing to want to hear good things. Jesus began teaching in His home town of Nazareth. He spoke about what God was going to bring to His people. The people started fussing about Jesus saying such mighty things in church. After all He was just a carpenter’s son and not a bounified teacher of the law. Jesus said this is why all of you don’t receive miracles. They got angry and grabbed Jesus. They were going to throw Him off a cliff. They all became confused and Jesus walked away. Hearing good news from God is what He wants to do for us. He wants us to be encouraged that our lives can work out the way it is supposed to. God was so encouraged that we could respond, He wrote it all down in one book, the bible. Read it for yourself and find out what He really has to say.

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A crucible is a trial by fire. It is where a person is tested to the limit of their endurance. Sometimes they are tested beyond their limit. It is to find out what the person is made of. Even if the person fails, it still shows what is in your heart. It is a trial that you don’t want to go through. For the most part it is always necessary for the person’s future life. Fortunately or unfortunately, we go through many crucibles. It is a simple as leaving home or starting a family or joining the military. Sometimes it is as hard as watching a relative die of cancer or your parents dying. Your life will never be the same again. For better or worse, it will change the way you look at life. When Cain went through his crucible with Abel, he told God after he had killed his brother Abel, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The answer to the question is yes. Are we linked together in some invisible way? Again the answer is yes. God says we are watchmen on the wall and if we don’t sound the alarm to protect our brother and sisters. We are guilty of their blood just like Cain was guilty of Abel’s blood. So what is your crucible? Are you able to make it to the other side?

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I’ve been watching a fishing show. I like to fish. I tell you the truth I’m not that good at fishing. I like to be on the water where there is a silence. The only thing you hear is fish jumping or the occasional duck or bird. The noise of humanity isn’t on the lake. What you hear is God’s creation. The show I was watching the guy was fishing in brackish water not quite in the Gulf of Mexico. He was catching large red fish. They were just beautiful. You know that about half of all the apostles were fishermen. They fished on the Sea of Galilee. They had been fishing all day and hadn’t caught anything. Jesus was preaching on the shore and asked Peter if He could use his boat to preach from. Peter said ok. When Jesus had finished He asked Peter to cast out into the deep and let down his nets. Peter said that they hadn’t caught anything all day, but at your word I will do it. Peter and his fellow fishermen went and cast their nets. They filled their boats with fish to overflowing. Peter knew that Jesus was a holy man and came to the realization that he was a sinful man. He went to Jesus and said so. Jesus said follow me and I will make you a fishers of men. The realization of being separated from God by sin is the beginning of your life with God.

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As you are raised in a certain culture, you believe that your culture is the best. Everybody else comes in at second place. Many people carry this even further and ostracize people of different colors or races. Do you know the difference between people all over the world? About that much. There is no difference. Yes, yes, some are males, some are females, some are tall, some are short, some are heavy set, some are skinny, some are different colors, some speak different languages, and some don’t smell too good. And know what difference is between them all. Hold up your right hand, clinch your fist, and hold out your thumb and first finger. Separate them about an inch apart. That is how much difference there is. There is no difference between people. God made everyone. And He didn’t make junk. But man has made rules and regulations to separate people. Those rules and regulations are about money and acquiring things. God warns about judging people. He said the judgements to whom you apply to people will be applied to you. God is the judge of all things. He alone judges righteously. Take a second look at that person that you thought was unreachable or untouchable. See them with God’s eyes.

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When you look at man, you can see sorrow. There isn’t one person on this earth that hasn’t been touched with sorrow. A loss of a dream, a death in the family, war, famine, disease, betrayal, you can go on and on. It seems that games have trivialized death, destruction and sorrow. When I a person dies there is a mother or father or brother or sister who suffers sorrow. Sorrow isn’t something that you want to live with. But being prepare does help to sooth the sorrow. In the bible the disciples asked about the end of the world. Jesus told them about what would happen and He called this the beginning of sorrows. What is going to happen at the end is going to be horrendous. God says to live as if this were your last day on earth. He said then you would be prepared for what will happen. Most people don’t even understand what will happen on this earth. If you want to read what will happen, I suggest that you read the book of revelations. God has always given examples of what will happen. Noah was an example. God waited until Noah finished building the ark to flood the earth. It says that 8 people were saved and the rest of the earth was lost. The Beginning of Sorrows is coming.

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This is a real treasure hunt. I will provide clues and you can figure them out. It is all over the earth. It comes in different sizes. It ranges from smelling good to stinking. It can be passive or dangerous. It can be a pleasure to look at or hideous. It is mobile, moves from place to place. It is alive but it does die. It can bring joy or pain. Some would call it intelligent. Some would call it stupid. It is always hard to control. There are no two alike. It is different but the same. Despite all events in the world it hasn’t disappeared. It seems to be growing in number. Have you guess what it is yet? You want to put your money where your mouth is? You can purchase it but it isn’t recommended. It is constantly changing. It isn’t the same every day. Have you figured it out yet? It is funny, unusual that the description fits a lot of things. Yet it only fits one thing. Are you ready to give up? No, ok here are a few more clues. I would not trust it as far as I could throw it. It has proven to be the most dangerous thing on this earth. Without God’s intervention, it is worth nothing. Did you get the answer yet? It is mankind.  Matt.6:20-21 “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”(KJV).

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Why does it take so long for man to learn anything? A question for the ages. Man still hasn’t learned a lot. Just look at the world and you’ll understand. God knew that man had to adsorb a little information at time. All at once would just bounce off his brain. Jesus took 12 men and taught them for 3 years so they could function as the church. The bible says here a little info, there a little info. A lot of people began to follow Jesus and He wanted to make sure they understood what they were doing. They began to follow because of the miracle of the loaves. Which He did twice, feeding over 5000 people. Also they followed because of the healings He performed. Jesus wanted people to really understand the cost. He said if you want to follow me, you have to deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Me. If you would save yourself, you will lose your life. But if you lose your life for My sake and the gospel, you will save your life. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? If you deny Me before men, I will deny you before My Father in heaven. Learn a little at a time, here a little, there a little.

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John was the son of Zebedee the high priest. He was generally considered a prophet in Israel. John was born to Zebedee in his old age and his only son. When Zebedee performed his duties as high priest in the temple, God showed him that his son was the next prophet of Israel. Zebedee took from the temple the camel hair tallit and leather girdle of Elijah home with him. It had been stored at the altar of incense in the Holy of Holies. John was Jesus’ cousin. They knew each other because their mothers, Mary and Elizabeth were close. John grew up like any son of a high priest, he was sent to school. God had revealed to him who he was. So at the appropriate age John didn’t join the priesthood, he went into the wilderness. God taught him on the backside of the desert. John was revealed at the right time and season, Yom Kippur. Everyone was going to a river to be baptized for the remission of sins. John was there for a specific reason and he was not afraid to say what God wanted to say. When the religious leaders came out of Jerusalem to be baptized John spoke to them. He called them a brood of vipers fleeing from the wrath to come. John told them to repent first then be baptized. This endeared him to them so much so that they wanted to kill him. They did kill him later. But John was there to introduce, baptize, Jesus to His ministry. Do you know this man called Jesus? He is waiting to meet you. All you have to do is call out his name.

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