For “Scripture Sunday”:
First Responders: Heroes
“Like most Americans I am still in shock over the bombings of the Boston Marathon. Acts of evil, leaving paths of devastation can be difficult to comprehend. I find that I do some of my best thinking while in the process of writing. This morning I gave a lot of thought to what it means to be a hero. After posting those thoughts to my personal blog, I realized the thought process had not been complete.
I found myself fixed on those people who run toward the screams and chaos, while everyone else is running away. What gives them the inner strength to put their lives in danger while helping others to safety? Whether we are talking about first responders who have trained for this type of event or the average individual who finds himself in a situation that calls for true heroism, it takes the right kind of person to run toward the danger when everyone else is running away.
I initially concluded that I had never been tested in that way. I have never had to be the hero. Would I freeze with fright or run in fear? Have you ever found yourself to be a hero when one was desperately needed? Have you ever wondered how you would respond? Do you have what it takes to be a hero?
While my focus had been on the physical heroes of the day, I found my thoughts shifting to the spiritual heroes of the future.
Those who have been given the Holy Spirit are tested daily. We come face to face with evil throughout our daily lives and have to stand against it. We are lights in a world of darkness, showing the way to peace and safety through Jesus Christ. As King of Kings and Lord of Lords, His return will put the saints in a position of being first responders, saving a world from evil, death, and devastation. You are a first responder in training!” More at: http://www.ucg.org/blog/first-responders-heroes/
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We Wrestle Not Against Flesh and Blood
“Margaret Thatcher's granddaughter eloquently reads from Ephesians, and summarizes an approach to evil.” Ephesians 6:10-14.
Transcript at: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today-daily/christian-living/we-wrestle-not-against-flesh-and-blood
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Weak vs. Strong
“What does North Korea have to do with the prophet Joel?”
Transcript at: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today-daily/news-and-prophecy/weak-vs-strong
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Life Lessons: Three Traits to Avoid when Looking for a Husband
“When my daughters were teens I told them to be particularly aware of three traits in a boy because these traits influence what kind of man he would become.
Points to build on
1. How does he treat his parents?
Proverbs 19:26 "He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings reproach."
Proverbs 28:24 "Whoever robs his father or his mother, And says, 'It is no transgression,' The same is companion to a destroyer."
Proverbs 30:17 "They eye that mocks his father, And scorns obedience to his mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it."
2. Is he cruel to animals?
Proverbs 12:10 "The righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."
3. How does he treat those whom he sees as weaker than himself?
Proverbs 14:31 "He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy."
Application
These principles apply to any woman looking for a good husband. No matter how attractive, charming or rich a man may be, if he mistreats his parents; is cruel to animals; and oppresses those who he sees as weak, he will do the same to his wife and children.” From: http://www.ucg.org/blog/life-lessons-three-traits-avoid-when-looking-husband/
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The Power of the Telegraph: What Is God Trying to Tell You?
“A young man steps into an office. It’s the Great Depression and he needs to find work. His chosen profession: telegraph operator. He’s answered an ad in the newspaper and goes to the telegraph office to interview. He knows Morse Code and is highly qualified, but the large, noisy office is crowded with other applicants.
Customers come and go and the noise of a telegraph clacks away in the background. A sign on the receptionist's counter instructs applicants to fill out a form and wait to be summoned for an interview. The young man does so and then sits down to wait.
With a growing look of confidence, he stands up, crosses the room to the inner office, and strides right in. Naturally the other applicants perk up, wondering at his boldness. They talk among themselves and finally determine that the man will likely be reprimanded for not following instructions and probably disqualified for the job.
Within a few minutes, however, the young man emerges from the inner office escorted by an official, who announces to the other applicants, “Thank you all very much for coming, but the job has just been filled .” They are all confused and one man speaks up: “Wait a minute – I don’t understand. We have been waiting longer than he and we never even got a chance to be interviewed .” The employer responds, “All the time you've been sitting here, the telegraph has been ticking out the following message: ‘If you understand this, then come right in. The job is yours. ’”
There is a great spiritual lesson in this story. We all want blessings, good things to come our way, but too often we wait for things to come to us instead of actively pursuing those blessings. The young man was focused on his “calling” and listened for opportunities to apply that calling.
Here are five important steps on the path to seeking right blessings:
- Be faithful and apply God’s way (Proverbs 28:20)
- Blessings will overtake you if you obey God (Deuteronomy 28:)
- Listen and have true life (Isaiah 55:3)
- Don’t waste time, now is your calling to salvation (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)
- Remember the blessings you already have (Psalm 103:2)
The young man got the job because he filtered what he heard through what he wanted to do and be. Why should our Christian calling be any different?
God is tapping away in the background all of the time, are you listening?” From: http://www.ucg.org/blog/power-telegraph-what-god-trying-tell-you/
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The program on WGN TV this morning:
A Thief in the Night
“Jesus said to "be ready" for the horrific events of the day of the Lord. Don't let yourself be caught off guard. Learn how.”
Transcript at: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today-program/news-and-prophecy/thief-night
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On This Day:
Rome founded, Apr 21, 753 B.C.:
“According to tradition, on April 21, 753 B.C., Romulus and his twin brother, Remus, found Rome on the site where they were suckled by a she-wolf as orphaned infants. Actually, the Romulus and Remus myth originated sometime in the fourth century B.C., and the exact date of Rome's founding was set by the Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro in the first century B.C.”
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First movie projector demonstrated in United States, Apr 21, 1895:
“On this day in 1895, Woodville Latham and his sons, Otway and Gray, demonstrate their “Panopticon,” the first movie projector developed in the United States.
Inspired by a Kinetoscope exhibition in Paris, another pair of brothers, the Frenchmen Auguste and Louis Lumiere, would invent their own motion-picture projector, the cinematographe, by the end of 1895. Projected movies were first shown to paying audiences starting the following year, usually as part of a vaudeville show. The first theater devoted solely to projected movies, the Electric Theater in Los Angeles, opened in 1902. Less than a year after the Lathams’ demonstration, Thomas Armat used a method similar to the Latham Loop to develop a state-of-the art projector he would sell to Edison, who marketed the machine as the Vitascope. Even in present day Hollywood, versions of the famous loop can be found in every motion-picture film camera and projector.”
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GM celebrates 100 millionth U.S.-made car, Apr 21, 1967:
“On April 21, 1967, General Motors (GM) celebrates the manufacture of its 100 millionth American-made car. At the time, GM was the world's largest automaker.
However, according to The New York Times, during the 1960s the automaker "began a long and slow process of undermining itself," as it failed to innovate fast enough in the face of competition from foreign car manufacturers. In 2008, GM, hard hit by the global economic crisis, lost its title as the world's top-selling automaker; that year, GM sold 8.356 million cars and trucks compared with Toyota's 8.972 million vehicles. On June 1, 2009, GM filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It was a move once considered unthinkable for the company that became a giant of the U.S. economy in the 20th century.”
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Yesterday:
Gumdrop seems to be settling down, but she is scared of Misty. Old, near-blind, toothless Misty! This is a first, as most cats understand that she is no threat. Terry and Misty got along just fine right from the beginning, see picture on left.
Gumdrop peers around my bathroom door to see if Misty is around before she will venture into my bedroom. She stayed on my bed for most of the night, for the first time. Then she goes back into my bathroom.
After Wendy and I had our usual Saturday phone call, I got ready for church.
The Bible study was about Miracles at the Cross and Tomb. Key scripture Matthew 27:1-54. The sermon was given by one of the elders. The main theme was that the Lord will supply you with what you need, but He does remove His hand of protection due to the wickedness in the world, and from not keeping His commandments. http://www.ucg.org/booklet/transforming-your-life-process-conversion/what-sin/must-we-obey-gods-commandments/
The sanctuary seemed to get colder and colder by the minute. Even though it was a cool day outside, they had the AC on full blast, so I was shivering. I’ll take a parka with me next time! I was just getting over my cough, so I was worried that it might come back, so I took some Vit. C, went to bed early, and called it a day.
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