Need a refill?

 

 Hey Dennis, refill  on this table!!!!

 Please state you opinions as your bird will be with you shortly

Well Gentle Reader,

It seem that some of you have gotten the impression that I don't like Baptists Not True Not true! Pastor Vanilla is the reason that I am writing to you today. It was in his Baptist church where I gave my heart to the Lord!

 

 Now then as I was saying "get that bird out of your coffee cup, he'll drink it all if you let him."

 

Well the 4th Sunday was "give till it hurts Sunday" Now understand that the Bible teaching on giving is really different than what you might expect. In what we call the Old Testament one finds tithing [that is giving 10% of all you possess to the  Jewish priest for they have no land or income of their own] And many churches have pick up the word tithe  to means help support the work of the church or denomination. But in fact Tithing stopped when as new set of instructions were given in what we call the New Testament. The New instructions were "As God provides to you you do the same" BUT remember sometimes peoples "Buts" are too big? God says, through the Apostle Paul "give as God Gives to you"  But so many Pastors have never found the real secret of Giving which is all together now repeat after me "Gods way today is Grace" But Pastor Bob (Vanilla to his friends) always  was asking for money because in the length of time he was Pastor at this little church he never taught GRACE!

 

In the churches I pastored I use to tell the folks "If you can't put something in the collection take something out!" Much to the discomfiture of the people who were in charge of the collecting of the offerings. One man told me "Pastor, when you said what you did about 'take something out' I almost had a heart attack"

 

So gentle reader,  I decided right then and there that I would never preach the message of "storehouse" tithing or any of the other methods that people use to get you to give money to their organization 

Why is it that so many people say in words like this "All their interested in is getting money" Or 'That Pastor preaches on money too much,  I'll never go there"? 

 Why is is it that you hear so much about churches asking for money?

Because Gentle they have never learned, (although it is clear in the Bible) that giving requires grace. Grace that God gives first.

Sorry but I just write what God gives me each day.

Anyway I decided that I would never ask for money (will that change?)

 My first church was a Southern Baptist in which they gave me $100 dollars for a month. After that they stopped  giving me anything. I went out and got a job and served without pay for over a year. God provided.
At one prayer meeting one of the deacons prayed this pry "Oh God, You keep him (meaning me) humble and we'll keep him poor!" God answered that prayer.

 

 Time of a refill?

 Oh we're out stop in tomorrow and I have some more for you,

Dennis

 

Reflections from my cup

 

Did I ever tell you?.....

 How I became a "poor Preacher"?

Dear Gentle reader,

 I had the start of a wonderdful story for you and then It was lost! What shall I do????? Well it's to good to waste so I'll rewrite it and you talk among yourselves and I be back help yourself to jelly donuts and coffee!

 Save me one!

I was raised in an "Irish Catholic home" one where you had a choice to become a priest or a doctor. And since as my mother use to say "Your brother was an only child"   I left the "Church" because it really didn't speak to me. Oh, I went through all the steps I was baptized, confirmed and went to Catholic grade school and High school  but I wasn't really "into church" Like most people , perhaps like you Gentle Reader, the only good thing that came out of me in that time of my life was the fact that when they would have incense I would get sick and throw up all over Sisters shoes!

Just like you I was no more interested in going to church than I was in being a priest or for that matter a doctor! I wanted to be a fireman!

 

Time for a break!

When you prepare you sermons on paper, they say that you are just reading off the paper and not hearing from God. But when you DON'T have paper, they say that you were not prepared!

During the last Sunday service that the visiting pastor was to spend at the church he served for some months, his hat was passed around for a goodwill, farewell offering.

When it returned to the pastor, it was empty. The pastor didn’t flinch. He raised the hat to heaven. "I thank you, Lord, that I got my hat back from this congregation

 Back to my story......

So when my wife wanted to go to church we went to a Baptist Church whose  Pastor was how shall I put it? hmmm? Well let me say that I called him 'Pastor Vanilla'. Pastor Vanilla was a preacher who had 4 sermons and you could set your watch by what Sunday it was The first Sunday it was "Bring in new people" the second was on "you should come to church every time the doors were open" The third was "meatless Sunday" {that is if your were to get any meat from the sermon you would have to bring it from home}

 

Oops time got away from me so we have to take up tomorrow  who turn is it to bring the donuts? (I am so hungry for sweets right now) See you tomorrow when we continue the saga of how I became the poor preacher that you know so well.

Dennis

 

The file room

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endlessly in either direction, had very different headings.

As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read "People I Have Liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one.

And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching. A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I Have Betrayed."

The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. "Books I Have Read," "Lies I Have Told", "Comfort I Have Given", "Jokes I Have Laughed At". Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I've Yelled at My Brothers." Other I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My Anger", "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents". I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my 20 years to write each of these thousands or even millions of cards?

But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature. When I pulled out the file marked "Songs I Have Listened To", I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file represented. When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts", I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only and inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded.

An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: "No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards.

But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it. Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot.

Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self- pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With". The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that the hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key.

But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one?

Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me. Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. "No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written in His blood.

He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished." I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

The Touch

Gentle Reader,

Don't let this happen to you look where I look see what I see and don't let people pass you by and don't pass them by without a further glance

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
thought it scarcely worth his while to waste much time on the old violin,
but held it up with a smile; "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?" "A dollar, a dollar"; then two!" "Only
two? Two dollars, and who'll make it three? Three dollars, once; three
dollars twice; going for three.." But no, from the room, far back, a
gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow; Then, wiping the dust
from the old violin, and tightening the loose strings, he played a melody
pure and sweet as caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low,
said; "What am I bid for the old violin?" And he held it up with the bow.
A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two? Two thousand! And who'll make
it three? Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice, and going and
gone," said he. The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not
quite understnad what changed its worth." Swift came the reply: "The touch
of a master's hand."

And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin, A
"mess of pottage," a glass of wine; a game - and he travels on. "He is
going" once, and "going twice, He's going and almost gone." But the Master
comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand the worth of a soul
and the change that's wrought by the touch of the Master's hand.

"Black Hole"

 

Steven Hawkings says....

Gentle Reader,

 

What do you know about black Holes?  Many of you know a lot more than you think! I mean you write for others to read and it goes into the Black Hole called the ENTER NET (Sorry I can't resist). I know about Black holes. I write each day and most of you stop in once in a while so that I need to present to you a thought complete in one sitting. Sometimes it's not possible, sooooooo bare with at times.

O foolish Bloggers, who has bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

 

 

Translation: "O foolish Bloggers, who has bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"

 

You started well but where have you gone? Why aren't you standing up for the things you know are right?  If your a Christian Where is your Paul?  (your spiritual leader, Now your pastor doesn't count) the person who led you to Christ! Where is your Timothy? The one your leading into further truth.  What are you doing on the Enter Net? And why?

 

Let me leave you with this Gentle Reader:

A great and wise man once called one of his workmen to him saying, "Go into the far country and build for me a house. The decisions of planning and of actual construction will be yours, but remember, I shall come to accept your work for a very special friend of mine."

And so the workman departed with a light heart for his field of labor. Material of all kinds was plentiful here, but the workman had a mind of his own. "Surely," he thought, "I know my business. I can use a bit of inferior materials here and cheat on my workmanship a little there, and still make the finished work look good. Only I will know that what I have built has weaknesses."

And so, at last the work was completed and the workman reported back to the great and wise man. "Very good," he said. "Now remember that I wanted you to use only the finest materials and craftsmanship in this house because I wanted to make present of it? My friend, you are the one I had you build it for. It is all yours."

How much like man. He comes to earth a stranger. He has his free agency. He may build as he likes. But on the morning of his resurrection he will receive what he has built for an eternal home and habitation.

Gentle Reader,

I love each of you and want only the best for you but you need to help! We are all called to be great Saints don't miss the opptunity!

 

Dennis

Priceless Privileges

Isn't it strange that princes and kings,
And clowns that caper in sawdust rings,
And common folk like you and me,
Are Builders for eternity?

To each is given a bag of tools,
A shapeless mass and a book of rules,
And each must fashion ere life is flown,
A stumbling block or a stepping stone.

 

 

Please pray...

 

In beginning God created....

My Study Bible it's called the Companion Bible

Gentle Reader,

 

My wife Marti's, cousin Colleen from Indiana sufferers from kidney failure awaiting transplant has suffered a massive infection needing emergency surgery. In her weakened condition she needs prayer warriors to uplift her during this time. She will not be able to attend her only daughters wedding in two weeks as she will be in the hospital. Pray that she is able to find a donor and that she will recover in order to attend her daughters wedding. 

 Please pray for this single Mother that God will raise her up!

Thank you,

Dennis

Post it notes

Small Facts About God


To A Beautiful Person:

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.

If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.

He sends you flowers every spring.

He sends you a sunrise every morning.

Whenever you want to talk, He listens.

He can live anywhere in the universe, but He chose ... your heart.

Face it friend, He is crazy about you!

God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

~ Author Unknown ~

GRACE

Notes for Grace class

Grace:
(Favor/Unmerited Mercy) The Grace of GOD can only be accessed through Faith! Grace cannot be earned or purchased!

The only action necessary on Man's part to access Grace is Faith, and Faith is nothing more than belief. The original sin in the Garden of Eden was about belief! (Eve believed Satan and Adam believed Eve instead of GOD.) Believe GOD and accept GOD's gift! Abraham believed GOD and GOD considered it as Righteousness! (Genesis 15:6)

When Abraham sinned by believing Sarah after GOD had promised an heir through Sarah (thereby committing the same sin as Adam in the Garden of Eden) GOD required Abraham to sacrifice his only son (Isaac). However, GOD provided a substitute Lamb for sacrifice (the precursor of The Lamb of GOD in the person of Jesus Christ for the salvation of all mankind) to take the place of Isaac. (Gen 22)

The perfection of Jesus is by Grace which was bestowed on Jesus by GOD before Jesus was ever born. It is impossible for you, me, or anyone else to receive Grace; we can only access it through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ and thereby enter into the only "House" ever authorized by GOD! (2nd Samuel 7, 2nd Chronicles 17)

Jesus was obviously raised in the tradition of Temple Judaism and as such, recognized the Temple as "My Fathers House". (Matt 21:13, Mark 11:17) However, GOD never called for or unconditionally accepted, any Religion! Nor did GOD ever call for or authorize any Church, Parish, Synagogue, or Temple! Biblically, the only construction GOD ever authorized (and gave detailed instructions for) was a Tabernacle that was meant to be a place of sacrifice in conjunction with the Mosaic Covenant.

Additionally, we also have the authority of Jesus regarding his perfection in his own words. "Why do you call me good? There is none good but the Father." (Matthew 19:17), (Mark 10:18), (Luke 18:19)

(If anyone could, or have had at any time, received Grace, then GOD, being a Non-Respecter of Persons, would have had to bestow Grace on everyone, starting with Adam and Eve! If that were true, there would have been no reason for Jesus to exist, much less to have died on the cross!)

Questions I ask...

Gentle Reader,

I recently read that if you have 50 people read your blog on a daily basis ( Now I have more than 1500 )that you have more that a  Harvard professor has in class So blog well my friend someone is reading your work. (maybe grading it too).

 

I think I'm safe although I have a few stop by from time to time. Not many read closely enough for me to be worried about becoming famous (except to my dogs, Paddy, Chi Chi and Cuddles . While Marti is still sick and we think she will get better this week has be bad for her. So I spend more time thinking about the good old days. But like my father use to say "They don't build car they way the use too...And they never did!"

 

I find that as I continue to research my book What didn't I tell you about that? Well pull up a cup of coffee and here we go.

 

As you know I have been in the Ministry for quite a few years and left to come home (where my mother and Step-father lived in (Indiana) to help my mother take care of my Step-father who had Alzheimer's Disease until his death. I had served a wonderful little Church called Grace Bible Fellowship. Where I completed my Doctoral Dissertation [long written study of a subject]  called "Biblical Faith and Contemporary culture" for my Th.D. in Theology. I thought I was done until I gave up my Church. 

But then ( see how things changes and still remain the same)  

 

 I found that no church wanted someone like me (I know that now, I didn't then).

 

I had spoken at Bible conferences and been brought to England (while I was still pastoring) for 2 weeks at a time teaching and preaching verse by verse on the subject "He may be your Father, but He's not your Dad" or "Knowing God" !

 

 So putting my education to work I began to study for a Ph.D. in Biblical Philology (The study of Biblical Linguistics).

 I kept looking for a place to preach but with sickness running through our family it was impossible to find a church that wanted me. "Life is made up of sobs and sniffles with sniffles predominating." 

 

 So now then with the Ph.D. out of the way I now have 6 Doctorates (two of which will qualify me as a paradox! (Pun inserted here) and I'm still learning. Not funny? read on.

Back to my book which I call for now "Which Church"? I wanted to called it "Sacred Cows make better hamburger" But that title was already taken.

 What is the book about you ask?  The basic theme is simple " Can you know if Christ instituted the Church why do we have so many churches?  I mean denominations. The two basic groups fall into Catholic and Protestant and from there it breaks down altogether into groups that have what I call hobby horses "We do this but we don't believe that!"

 We have those who have mega churches and those who meet in homes. There are those who teach what I call the prosperity Gospel (I'll have two more Big Macs please) and those who claim some secret revelation that none else has (or perhaps wants). 

 

So Gentle Reader, Which Church? 

 

Let me ask you a question Which Church is the One That God heads?

 Enough for now, it time to get ready for the day.

Think about my question and get back with me would you please?

 

Till next time   

Denis  

The Magic Pebbles

"Why do we have to learn all of this dumb stuff?"

Of all the complaints and questions I have heard from my students during my years in the classroom, this was the one most frequently uttered. I would answer it by recounting the following legend.

One night a group of nomads were preparing to retire for the evening when suddenly they were surrounded by a great light. They knew they were in the presence of a celestial being. With great anticipation, they awaited a heavenly message of great importance that they knew must be especially for them.

Finally, the voice spoke, "Gather as many pebbles as you can. Put them in your saddle bags. Travel a day's journey and tomorrow night will find you glad and it will find you sad."

After having departed, the nomads shared their disappointment and anger with each other. They had expected the revelation of a great universal truth that would enable them to create wealth, health and purpose for the world. But instead they were given a menial task that made no sense to them at all. However, the memory of the brilliance of their visitor caused each one to pick up a few pebbles and deposit them in their saddle bags while voicing their displeasure.

They traveled a day's journey and that night while making camp, they reached into their saddle bags and discovered every pebble they had gathered had become a diamond. They were glad they had diamonds. They were sad they had not gathered more pebbles.

It was an experience I had with a student, I shall call Alan, early in my teaching career that illustrated the truth of that legend to me.

When Alan was in the eighth grade, he majored in "trouble" with a minor in "suspensions." He had studied how to be a bully and was getting his master's in "thievery."

Every day I had my students memorize a quotation from a great thinker. As I called roll, I would begin a quotation. To be counted present, the student would be expected to finish the thought.

"Alice Adams - 'There is no failure except ...’"

"’In no longer trying.' I'm present, Mr. Schlatter."

So, by the end of the year, my young charges would have memorized 150 great thoughts.

"Think you can, think you can't - either way you're right!"

"If you can see the obstacles, you've taken your eyes off the goal."

"A cynic is someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing."

And, of course, Napoleon Hill's "If you can conceive it, and believe it, you can achieve it."

No one complained about this daily routine more than Alan - right up to the day he was expelled and I lost touch with him for five years. Then one day, he called. He was in a special program at one of the neighboring colleges and had just finished parole.

He told me that after being sent to juvenile hall and finally being shipped off to the California Youth Authority for his antics, he had become so disgusted with himself that he had taken a razor blade and cut his wrists.

He said, "You know what, Mr. Schlatter, as I lay there with my life running out of my body, I suddenly remembered that dumb quote you made me write 20 times one day. ‘There is no failure except in no longer trying.' Then it suddenly made sense to me. As long as I was alive, I wasn't a failure, but if I allowed myself to die, I would most certainly die a failure. So with my remaining strength, I called for help and started a new life."

At the time he had heard the quotation, it was a pebble. When he needed guidance in a moment of crisis, it had become a diamond. And so it is to you I say, gather all the pebbles you can, and you can count on a future filled with diamonds.

By John Wayne Schlatter
from A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul
Copyright 1995 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

What is Truth?

In all the commotion going on I forgot to tell you about what Christianity is all about! Some of you think you know some others of you don't know and think you do. Still others don't see what we get upset about. It's rather like the three groups there are those who make things happen, then there are those who watch things happen and then the last group who wander "what happened?"
If you can you need to move on up the food chain if you can. and while you at it bring someone along.
Now You can't force someone (unless you have a gun) but as you in America say "You can lead a horse to water
but you can't milk a cow!" "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god (Satan) of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

What are the tools that the god of this world uses (don't stop reading just yet Gentle reader, important stuff coming up) How about Post modernism [ meaning comes from one's social and culture and that transcendent knowledge and meaning do not exist] Postmodernism seeks to undermine history and the belief in "Facts" and "objectivity" In others words there is no absolute "Truth" and even if there were "You not smart enough to know it or even learn about it"

That leads to what is called deconstructionism which tells you "language cannot articulate "Truth" in an objective manner! To quote that great scholar Dan Brown "How historically accurate is history itself?" So we have entering the very popular DUH Vinci Code.

We have the belief currently going around of the "sacred feminism" We hear about the conspiracy of the church (the body of Christ) Although Mr. Brown has a real problem with the Catholic Church.

Folks are either unwilling or unconcerned to check out the one source of Truth, The Bible

But as Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles said "For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Having taught the Grace message of the Apostle Paul as committed to Timothy in 2 Tim 2:2 "And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.. ". God called me to this ministry of the reconciliation over 30 years ago. I am so please to find your fellowship in Studies of Scripture. I pray for your fellowship in the spirit of Romans 1:9 "For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers"

Oh, Grace of Grace,
Oh, Gift of Gifts,
That God should condescend,
To make my heart His dwelling place,
And be my bosom Friend.

Grace to you,
Dennis

Essential Christianity

Death = A return

What a nice way to explain death..........

A sick man turned to his doctor,
as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said,
"Doctor, I am afraid to die.
Tell me what lies on the other side."

Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know."

"You don't know?
You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?"

The doctor was holding the handle of the door;
on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining,
and as he opened the door,
a dog sprang into the room
and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said,
"Did you notice my dog?
He's never been in this room before.
He didn't know what was inside.
He knew nothing except that his master was here,
and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.
I know little of what is on the other side of death,
but I do know one thing...
I know my Master is there and that is enough."



May today there be peace within you.
May you trust God that you are exactly
where you are meant to be.
I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet
when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.




Just pass this on...




"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.". Anon.

Carl

This is a story about Carl.. I think we all can learn a lesson from this.. It is a tear jerker, so get yourself a kleenex, a cup of coffee, tea, or soda, and enjoy... This sure did touch my heart, and I hope that it will touch yours as well.

A Lesson in Love


Carl was a quiet man. He didn't talk much. He would always greet you with a big smile and a firm handshake.

Even after living in our neighborhood for over 50 years, no one could really say they knew him very well.

Before his retirement, he took the bus to work each morning. The lone sight of him walking down the street often worried us.

He had a slight limp from a bullet wound received in WWII. Watching him, we worried that although he had survived WWII, he may not make it through our changing uptown neighborhood with its ever-increasing random violence, gangs, and drug activity.

When he saw the flyer at our local church asking for volunteers for caring for the gardens behind the minister's residence, he responded in his characteristically unassuming manner. Without fanfare, h e just signed up.

He was well into his 87th year when the very thing we had always feared finally happened. He was just finishing his watering for the day when three gang members approached him. Ignoring their attempt to intimidate him, he simply asked, "Would you like a drink from the hose?"

The tallest and toughest-looking of the three said, "Yeah, sure," with a malevolent little smile.

As Carl offered the hose to him, the other two grabbed Carl's arm, throwing him down. As the hose snaked crazily over the ground, dousing everything in its way, Carl's assailants stole his retirement watch and his wallet, and then fled.

Carl tried to get himself up, but he had been thrown down on his bad leg. He lay there trying to gather himself as the minister came running to help him..

Although the minister had witnessed the attack from his window, he couldn't get there fast enough to stop it. "Carl, are you okay? Are you hurt?" the minister kept asking as he helped Carl to his feet.

Carl just passed a hand over his brow and sighed, shaking his head. "Just some punk kids. I hope they'll wise-up someday." His wet clothes clung to his slight frame as he bent to pick up the hose. He adjusted the nozzle again and started to water.

Confused and a little concerned, the minister asked, "Carl, what are you doing?"

"I've got to finish my watering. It's been very dry lately," came the calm reply.

Satisfying himself that Carl really was all right, the minister could only marvel. Carl was a man from a different time and place.

A few weeks later the three returned. Just as before their threat was unchallenged. Carl again offered them a drink from his hose.

This time they didn't rob him. They wrenched the hose from his hand and drenched him head to foot in the icy water.

When they had finished their humiliation of him, they sauntered off down the street, throwing catcalls and curses, falling over one another laughing at the hilarity of what they had just done.

Carl just watched them. Then he turned toward the warmth giving sun, picked up his hose, and went on with his watering.

The summer was quickly fading into fall Carl was doing some tilling when he was startled by the sudden approach of someone behind him. He stumbled and fell into some evergreen branches.

As he struggled to regain his footing, he turned to see the tall leader of his summer tormentors reaching down for him. He braced himself for the expected attack.

"Don't worry old man, I'm not gonna hurt you this time." The young man spoke softly, still offering the tattooed and scarred hand to Carl. As he helped Carl get up, the man pulled a crumpled bag from his pocket and handed it to Carl.

"What's this?" Carl asked.

"It's your stuff," the man explained. "It's your stuff back, even the money in your wallet." "I don't understand," Carl said. "Why would you help me now?"

The man shifted his feet, seeming embarrassed and ill at ease. "I learned something from you," he said. "I ran with that gang and hurt people like you. We picked you because you were old and we knew we could do it. But every time we came and did something to you, instead of yelling and fighting back, you tried to give us a drink. You didn't hate us for hating you. You kept showing love against our hate." He stopped for a moment. "I couldn't sleep after we stole your stuff, so here it is back." He paused for another awkward moment, not knowing what more there was to say.. "That bag's my way of saying thanks for straightening me out, I guess." And with that, he walked off down the street.

Carl looked down at the sack in his hands and gingerly opened it. He took out his retirement watch and put it back on his wrist. Opening his wallet, he checked for his wedding photo. He gazed for a moment at the young bride that still smiled back at him from all those years ago.

He died one cold day after Christmas that winter. Many people attended his funeral in spite of the weather. In particular the minister noticed a tall young man that he didn't know sitting quietly in a distant corner of the church.

The minister spoke of Carl's garden as a lesson in life. In a voice made thick with unshed tears, he said, "Do your best and make your garden as beautiful as you can. We will never forget Carl and his garden."

The following spring another flyer went up. It read: "Person needed to care for Carl's garden."

The flyer went unnoticed by the busy parishioners until one day when a knock was heard at the minister's office door.

Opening the door, the minister saw a pair of scarred and tattooed hands holding the flyer. "I believe this is my job, if you'll have me," the young man said.

The minister recognized him as the same young man who had returned the stolen watch and wallet to Carl.

He knew that Carl's kindness had turned this man's life around. As the minister handed him the keys to the garden shed, he said, "Yes, go take care of Carl's garden and honor him."

The man went to work and, over the next several years, he tended the flowers and vegetables just as Carl had done.

In that time, he went to college, got married, and became a prominent member of the community. But he never forgot his promise to Carl's memory and kept the garden as beautiful as he thought Carl would have kept it.

One day he approached the new minister and told him that he couldn't care for the garden any longer. He explained with a shy and happy smile, "My wife just had a baby boy last night, and she's bringing him home on Saturday."

"Well, congratulations!" said the minister, as he was handed the garden shed keys. "That's wonderful! What's the baby's name?"

"Carl," he replied.

That's the whole gospel message simply stated.



Thanks to Kay and Moni for sharing the Grace of God with us today!

Train of Life

Some folks ride the train of life

Looking out the rear,

Watching miles of life roll by,

And marking every year.



They sit in sad remembrance,

Of wasted days gone by,

And curse their life for what it was,

And hang their head and cry.



But I don't concern myself with that,

I took a different vent,

I look forward to what life holds,

And not what has been spent.



So strap me to the engine,

As securely as I can be,

I want to be out on the front,

To see what I can see.



I want to feel the winds of change,

Blowing in my face,

I want to see what life unfolds,

As I move from place to place.



I want to see what's coming up,

Not looking at the past,

Life's too short for yesterdays,

It moves along too fast.



So if the ride gets bumpy,

While you are looking back,





Go up front, and you may find,

Your life has jumped the track.





It's all right to remember,

That's part of history,

But up front's where it's happening,

There's so much mystery.



The enjoyment of living,

Is not where we have been,

It's looking ever forward,

To another year and ten.



It's searching all the byways,

Never should you refrain,

For if you want to live your life,

You gotta drive the train!



~author unknown~

Essential Christianity

Greetings my Brothers and sisters in Christ,

My family comes from Mallow but I live now in the USA having taught the Grace message of the Apostle Paul as committed to Timothy in 2 Tim 2:2 "And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.. ". God called me to this ministry of the reconciliation over 30 years ago. I am so please to find your fellowship in Cork. I will pray for your fellowship in the spirit of Romans 1:9 "For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers"

Oh, Grace of Grace,
Oh, Gift of Gifts,
That God should condescend,
To make my heart His dwelling place,
And be my bosom Friend.

Grace to you,
Denis
3 Basic principles in understanding your Bible

1. 1st Principle in Bible study That is [Check it out for yourself] Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15

I almost forgot that you need to understand this basic principle (almost goes without saying, but we have a few folks who join us for coffee who don't have a clue. So here is the basics "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, [ Teaching for what is true] for reproof, [convicting for what is false] for correction, [for what is wrong] for instruction in righteousness, "[instruction for what is right] II Timothy 3:16 And the Bible teaches that this is for believers only "that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
II Timothy 3: 16-17

Now Remember Gentle reader, I shared with you the basic principle From 2 Timothy 2:15 {My translation from the Greek "You, Yourself Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing (or handling accurately )the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15

2) Your second principle is to be found in Philippians 1:10 "that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ," To use Principle 1 you have to That ye may approve things that are excellent.
Or "try things that differ". There are some things that differ one from other; as morality and grace, earthly things, and heavenly things, carnal and spiritual, temporal and eternal things, law and Gospel, the doctrines of men, and the doctrines of Christ; all which differ.

So many assume that just because things "appear to be the same, they are" So many people don't look closely enough to see the differences. Miles Cloverdale once said

"It shall greatly help your understanding Scripture If you note:
Not only what is spoken but written,
But of whom, And to Whom,
With what words,
At what time, Where,
To what intent,
With what circumstances,
Considering what goes before and what follows."

Which brings me the the 3rd principle of studying your Bible "Hold fast the form of SOUND words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." Look at the words! what do they mean? What do they say? is there something I should be doing? Something to avoid? Something to stand for?

"For the time will come when they will not endure SOUND doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;" 2 Timothy

Remember Mr. Smith goes to Washington The more things change the more things stay the same Gentle reader! Let's take back our Christianity!

"God does not do His Deepest work in our shallowest part"

Table for how many?

 

"God doesn't do His deepest work in our shallowest part"

 Gentle Reader,

Sometimes we need a break and other times we find God providing just what one needs just when we need it. here is one of those times for me! Maybe you too? God provides the best!

Keep Your Fork


        There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.

        Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. "There's one more thing," she said excitedly.

        "What's that?" came the pastor's reply.

        "This is very important," the young woman continued.
        "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."

        The pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

        "That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked.

        "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.

        The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from there on out, I have always done so. I have also, always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement.

        'In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!' So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?". Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork the best is yet to come." The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye.

        He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did.
        She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.

        At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the pastor heard the question "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled.
        During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her.

        The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

        He was right.

        So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.

        Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open th e ir hearts to us.

        Show your friends how much you care. Remember to always be there for them, even when you need them more. For you never know when it may be their time to "Keep your fork."

        Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share. being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility.

        Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND even if it means sending back to the person who sent it to you.


        And keep your fork. 

 I love you all Gentle Readers, even the old grump in the corner,

Dennis
      

Who am I?

 

 

ear Gentle Reader,

We have come to the end of the month (plus one day I started with the Conspiracy - which no one got by the way so here is the answer you may want to copy it down

 "wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air,  [Satan, the Devil ] of the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience; among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:--but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved)," Booh of Ephesians  Chapter2.

 

 What we have Gentle Reader is called "the trilemma"—is a form of apologetics meant to prove the divinity of Jesus or at least demonstrate the impossibility of him being simply a "good teacher". Often summarized as either "Lunatic, Liar, or Lord", or "Mad, Bad, or God", it assumes that Jesus claimed to be the son of God, and as a result one of three things must be true:

 

C. S. Lewis put it this way:

"I am trying here to prevent people saying the really foolish thing that people often say about him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God.'  That is one thing we must not say.  A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things that Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.  He would either be a lunatic - on a level with a man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell.  You must make your choice.  Either this man was, and is the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse.  You can shut him up as a demon, or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord.  But don't come up with any patronizing nonsense about him being a great moral teacher.  He hasn't left that alternative open to us."

1. Lunatic: Jesus was not the son of God, but he mistakenly believed that he was.

   Jesus said many things which would be outrageous if he was just a man.  If he is God then those same sayings are reasonable.

    

   Here are some examples:

   • Jesus said that we should love him more than our wives, more than our parents, more than our children and more than ourselves (Matthew 10:27; Luke 14:26)

   • He said that if we wanted eternal life we had to follow him (Mark 10:17-21)

   • He said that “whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matt 10:39)

   • He claimed: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

   • He claimed to be able to forgive sins.  His critics objected that no one but God had the authority to forgive sins.  They were right, but they had missed the point that Jesus was God. (Matt 9:6; Mark 2:7, 10; Luke 5:21, 24)

   • He said that: "before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:5) – Abraham lived thousands of years before Jesus.

2. Liar: Jesus was not the son of God, and he knew it, but he said so anyway.
3. Lord: Jesus was the son of God, and thus spoke the truth.

The trilemma is principally associated with C. S. Lewis, who originally proposed the argument in his book Mere Christianity. He contends that there are three probable alternatives, all or any of which, or some variant, may logically be chosen over the choice of calling Jesus a "great human teacher". Lewis's trilemma is therefore a straightforward question on the basis of the Biblical view of Jesus: it compels a choice of any option except the logically excluded alternative that Jesus was "a great human teacher" (and from among the remaining alternatives, he argues that Jesus is God). Lewis does not propose the argument as a proof of the deity of Christ, but attempts to portray as foolish those who dismiss Jesus as merely a moral teacher. However, he was ultimately persuaded that the choice of Jesus as Lord is no less probable than the alternatives, and far more preferable.

More recently, Christian evangelist Josh McDowell has used a farther-reaching variant of Lewis's trilemma in an attempt to prove that Jesus was God. Arguing that the first two options are not acceptable for a number of reasons, we are forced to believe Jesus's claim to be the son of God. McDowell, surpassing Lewis's point, suggests that the trilemma logically compels Christian belief. First he attempts to demonstrate the historical reliability of the Bible, and then uses that in conjunction with the trilemma to conclude that Jesus is divine.

Ronald Reagan also used the trilemma in a reply to a liberal Methodist minister who denied the divinity of Christ.

The trilemma rests on the assertion that Jesus was a living person who did claim to be the unique Son of God. Skeptics have offered numerous alternatives to the trilemma. For example, Jesus may have been a fictional character (either wholly, as someone invented to portray moral principles, or partly, based on a real person but exaggerated); his words may have been misquoted or misinterpreted; he may have been honestly mistaken about his nature; or he may have suffered some mild delusions without being completely insane. Apologists argue that there is reliable evidence that Jesus really existed and made claims to forgive sins and send prophets, which in the Jewish monotheistic culture would be taken as claims of Godhood.

Another possibility is that Jesus only meant to speak of himself as a son of God, in the same way that all of humanity are sons and daughters of God. Critics point out that the New Testament does not quote Jesus as directly claiming to be the unique "Son of God". Christian apologists argue that other quotations of Jesus prove that he did indeed consider himself the only Son of God. They refer to scriptural quotations by Satan, demons, and Jesus's disciples that refer to him as the Son of God (see especially Matthew 4:3, Matthew 8:29, Mark 3:11, and Matthew 14:33), after which Jesus does not correct them. They also point to John 3:16, where they argue Jesus is referring to himself as the unique Son of God; John 8:58, where Jesus says "Before Abraham was, I am" (egō eimi εγὼ ειμἱ), taken by apologists as reference to the Tetragrammaton;

The Tetragrammaton (Greek: τετραγράμματον; "word with four letters") is the usual reference to the Hebrew name for God, which is spelled (in the Hebrew alphabet): י (yodh) ה (heh) ו (vav) ה (heh) or יהוה (YHWH). It is the distinctive personal name of the God of Israel.

and to Mark 2:5, where Jesus forgives the sin of a paralytic. On the one occasion where Jesus is reported as asked directly (Matthew 26:63), he does not give a direct answer, instead replying "su eipas", which roughly translates as "you have said it yourself", and going on to say something about the Son of Man that will be seated in the clouds.

So Gentle Reader, Who  do you say Jesus Christ is?

Dennis

As Easy As Brushing Hair

The story starts out where she, Beth, is sitting at an airport terminal, waiting to board a plane. She was sitting there with several other people who were also waiting, whom she did not know.
As she waited, she pulled out her Bible and started reading. All of a sudden she felt as if the people sitting there around her, were looking at her. She looked up, but realized that they were looking just over her head, in the direction right behind her.

She turned around to see what everyone was looking at, and when she did, she saw a stewardess pushing a wheelchair, with the ugliest old man sitting in it, that she had ever seen before. She said he had this long white hair that was all tangled and such a mess. His face was really, really wrinkled, and he didn't look friendly at all.

She said she didn't know why, but she felt drawn to the man, and thought at first that God wanted her to witness to him. In her mind she said she was thinking, "Oh, God, please, not now, not here."

No matter what she did, she couldn't get the man off of her mind, and all of a sudden she knew what God wanted her to do. She was supposed to brush this old man's hair.

She went and knelt down in front of the old man, and said "Sir may I have the honor of brushing your hair for you?"

He said "What?"

She thought, "Oh great, he's hard of hearing." Again, a little louder, she said, "Sir, may I have the honor of brushing your hair for you?"

He answered, "If you are going to talk to me, you are going to have to speak up, I am practically deaf."

So this time, she was almost yelling, "Sir may I please have the honor of brushing your hair for you?"

Everyone was watching to see what his response would be. The old man just looked at her confused, and said "Well, I guess if you really want to."

She said, "I don't even have a brush, but I thought I would ask anyway."

He said, "Look in the bag hanging on the back of my chair, there is a brush in there."

So she got the brush out and started brushing his hair. (She has a little girl with long hair, so she has had lots of practice getting tangles out, and knew how to be gentle with him.) She worked for a long time, until every last tangle was out.

Just as she was finishing up, she heard the old man crying, and she went and put her hands on his knees, kneeling in front of him again looking directly into his eyes, and said "Sir, do you know Jesus?"

He answered, "Yes, of course I know Jesus. You see, my bride told me she couldn't marry me unless I knew Jesus, so I learned all about Jesus, and asked Him to come into my heart many years ago, before I married my bride."

He continued, "You know, I am on my way home to go and see my wife. I have been in the hospital for a long time, and had to have a special surgery in this town far from my home. My wife couldn't come with me, because she is so frail herself." He said, "I was so worried about how terrible my hair looked, and I didn't want her to see me looking so awful, but I couldn't brush my hair, all by myself."

Tears were rolling down his cheeks, as he thanked Beth for brushing his hair. He thanked her over and over again.

She was crying, people all around witnessing this were crying, and as they were all boarding the plane, the stewardess, who was also crying, stopped her, and asked, "Why did you do that?"

And right there was the opportunity, the door that had been opened to share with someone else, the love of God. We don't always understand God's ways, but be ready, He may use us to meet the need of someone else, like He met the need of this old man, and in that moment, also calling out to a lost soul who needed to know about His love.

- Unknown