DEAD END? WHAT’S NEXT?

Exodus 14:11
Then they turned against Moses and complained,
"Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness?
Weren't there enough graves for us in Egypt?
Why did you make us leave?”

As the Israelites were being led out of Egypt by Moses, they found themselves at a dead end because they were surrounded by the Red Sea to their front, mountains and wilderness to their left and to their right, and the ferocious soldiers of Egypt at their rear quickly closing in on them for the kill. A dead end. Years ago an S4 submarine was accidently rammed by another ship and quickly sank. The entire crew was trapped in what looked to be their tomb. A rescue diver placed his helmeted ear to the side of the sunken vessel and heard someone tapping out a question in Morse code. The question came very slowly: “Is... there... any... hope?” If you read Exodus 14:2, you’ll see that it was God who led the Israelites to their supposed “dead end.” God’s words were "Tell the people to march… Camp there along the shore, opposite Baal-zephon.” Baal-zephon means God’s hidden treasure. So what happened to the Israelites? They walked across an opened Red Sea on dry ground to safety. Baal-zephon.

TEMPTATION

1 Corinthians 10:13

But remember that the temptations that come into
your life are no different from what others experience.
And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from
becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it.
When you are tempted, he will show you a way out
so that you will not give in to it.

Many of the mistakes that you’ll likely make begin with temptation. Lies are always at the source of temptation, so if you know the truth, you probably won’t fall to temptations. James stated clearly in James 1:13, “Remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, ‘God is tempting me.’ God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either”. James 1:14 exposes the reason why we give in: “Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires.” I recently learned that living along the banks of the Amazon River is a species of large and colorful spiders. When one of these creatures spreads itself out, it looks exactly like the blossom of a brilliant flower tempting bees and other insects to come upon it. Instead, the spider secretes a poison that drugs the unsuspectingly tempted visitors to prepare them for the spider’s meal. If you don’t learn to identify sinful things that are tempting to you, you might find yourself just like an unsuspecting little bumble bee.

SHARING THE WORD

2 Corinthians 9:10
For God is the one who gives seed to the farmer and then bread to eat.
In the same way, he will give you many opportunities to do good,
and he will produce a great harvest of generosity in you.

One of our church members takes every opportunity to share the Word of God at her workplace and to share the good news of Jesus with her co-workers by just giving them Godly advice if they seek advice. She also manages to squeeze in a little prayer time for her co-workers during her lunch breaks. With these little actions, she was able to plant a tiny little seed of God’s Word in their hearts. As of right now, she is still planting, but later on the harvest will come. Jesus said in Matthew 9:37-38, “The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send out more workers for his fields." If you want to be a harvester, share the Word of God. But to be a harverster, you’ve got to be working in His vineyard.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR EYES

Proverbs 20:12 says, “Ears to hear and eyes to see – both are gifts from the Lord.” I once brought an elderly woman to an eye care center and it dawned on me that our eyes are some of the most special gifts from God to mankind. They were made to see the beauty of God’s creation and who He is. Now think about how often you use your eyes to see evil and to be enticed into that evil. How would you feel if you gave someone a gift that was later being used for something bad? There’s a mythological tale about Zulcucus, the lawgiver of the Locrians, where he had rendered a law punishing adulterers with the loss of both the offender’s eyes. The first violator of the law, however, was his very own son. The loving and upright Zulcucus caused one of his son’s eyes to be put out and one of his own. The Word says in Luke 11:34, “Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness.” Take care of your eyes and use them for reading the Word, for seeing the beauty of God and His creations.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Mark 6:7 says, “And he called his twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two, with authority to cast out evil spirits.” The Bible teaches partnerships because He knows that it’s the best way to go through life. Ecclesiastes 4:9 tells us, “Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor.” Interestingly, even the poor-sighted rhinoceros was blessed with a partner. You see, a rhino’s back is typically infested with ticks, so a bird would ride on the rhino’s back while it also feeds on the ticks. So, in exchange for the free meal, the tickbird would alert the rhino if danger was approaching from a distance. Similarly, the Bible teaches us in Hebrews 13:5, “Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.’” Make God your partner, He’s got the vision of your life and He already knows what’s coming.

THIS LITTLE OF LIGHT OF MINE

Matthew 5:16 says, “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” There's a story that was told to me about about a sick passenger traveling to India by ship. From his cabin down below, the sickly man heard someone yell out, “Man overboard!” Because he was sick and weak, he wasn’t able to go on deck to help, but he took his cabin light and held it near the window so that it might shine on the open water. A little while after, he heard relieved men yelling, “It’s all right. He’s safe.” The next day the sickly passenger was told that it was his timely little lamp that provided the only light on the water that helped the fallen man to see the safety rope that was thrown to him. Always take the opportunity to let your little light shine because a little thing can be a big thing whenever God gets involved.

SO YOU WANT TO HAVE GOOD FAMILY?

Are you planning on having a good family? Have you ever heard of newlyweds that plan for a divorce while on their honeymoon? Me neither. Usually newlyweds talk about their future, how many kids to have and when they want to have a baby. Honeymoons are all about plans to build a strong, loving, caring and beautiful family – never about planning to have a broken family. So for that matter, where did divorce come from? In the book of Matthew, Jesus was asked by the Pharisees about divorce and why God allowed for it. Jesus said in Matthew 19:8, "Moses permitted divorce as a concession to your hard-hearted wickedness, but it was not what God had originally intended.” Divorce is not part of God’s plan. It’s a result of the free will of man. The solution to avoid divorce is to make your family a family of God. In 1 John 5:18 it says, “We know that those who have become part of God's family do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot get his hands on them.” Be a part of the family of God and your family will be secure in His hands.

GUARANTEED INVESTMENT RETURN

Proverbs 19:17 says, “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord – and he will repay you!” I’d read this story about a father and son where the father gave his little boy a half dollar with the condition that he could do whatever he wanted with the money, but that he just had to use it wisely. Later, the father asked his son about the money and the little boy told his father, “I lent it to a poor beggar who looked hungry!” The father scornfully replied, “Well, that was foolish of you! You’ll never get your money back!” Innocently, his son responded, “But, father, I’m definitely getting the money back because the Bible says that if I help the poor that really just lending the money to God and that God’s going to repay me! I think God’s good for the money.” So, what are you doing with your money? Do you help the poor and needy? Spend and invest your money wisely for a guaranteed investment return.

THE THING ABOUT HOROSCOPES

Deuteronomy 18:10 says, “Do not let your people practice fortune-telling or sorcery, or allow them to interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft.” Everyday, I receive email after email after email that read something like this: “Read this email and then send it to ten (or even fifteen or twenty) people and your wish will come true (or something good will happen to you).” You’ve likely been either a recipient or a sender of these emails yourself. The sad part is that some of these emails are being forwarded by Christian brothers and sisters. I once read about a crystal-gazer who charged $25 per reading. She told a customer, “$25 entitles you to ask me two questions.” The visitor asked, “Isn’t that a lot of money for only two questions?” The fortune-teller responded, “Yes, madam, it is. So now, what’s your second question?” It’s pretty foolish sounding, right? Well, the Biblical truth is that horoscopes violate the Word of God because nobody can know tomorrow except for God.

PATH TO GREATNESS

Philippians 2:5 says, “Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had.” One of the soldiers of Emperor Julian the Apostate (who sought to destroy Christianity beginning in the year 363 AD) questioned a Christian during persecution, “Where is your carpenter now?” The afflicted Christian responded, “He is making a coffin for your emperor.” A few months afterward, Julian was wounded in battle and as he dipped his hand into his bloody wound, he realized that death was upon him. Julian threw his blood toward Heaven surrendering, “Thou hast conquered, O Galilean!” It’s hard to believe that a simple carpenter from Galilee could be great at anything. Success isn’t always based on aptitude, but rather it could be based in attitude. Philippians 2:6-8 explains Jesus’ greatness: “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, He humbled himself.” Servant leadership – that’s the path to greatness.

INSTRUCTIONS

1 Timothy 1:5 says, “The purpose of my instruction is that all the Christians there would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and sincere faith.” There are two distinct ways to receive instruction. The first way is to receive it gladly as Proverbs 16:20 teaches, “Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be happy.” The second way to receive it is to mock or reject the instructions as Proverbs 9:8 tells us, “Don't bother rebuking mockers; they will only hate you.” A Sunday school teacher taught her students to keep quiet during the church service and one of the children asked, "Why is it necessary to be quiet in church?” One observant little girl replied out loud, "Because people are sleeping." We go to church to learn and receive instruction from the word of God. Be wise to not mock the instruction and certainly you shouldn’t sleep through it.

THE EASY WAY UP

Matthew 7:13 says, "You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way.” This doesn’t mean that it’s difficult to get to heaven but simply corrects the wrong understanding that there many ways into heaven. People have used religion, good works or money to try and pave their way into heaven. All these ways can be deemed as easy because they’re are all human acts. Being allowed into heaven requires an act of God, after all no human has descended from heaven so it begs the argument that no human can ascend into heaven on their own strength. That’s why the only way to heaven is Jesus, which was written in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” There is only one choice as far as a God is concerned – the narrow gate – Jesus. It really is quite easy, isn’t it?

ALWAYS BE FAIR

Matthew 7:12 says, "Do for others what you would like them to do for you.” It’s been said that King Philip of Macedon fell asleep one day while hearing a case and that when he suddenly awoke without having all the facts of the case together, the king passed an unjust sentence on the man who was on trial. Shocked by the sentence the sentenced man cried out, “I appeal!” An upset Philip asked, “And to whom do you appeal?” The man replied, “From the king who was sleeping to the king who is awake.” The king was so moved by the man’s logical appeal that he reversed the judgment he had passed. None of us are perfect or all knowing. We all make mistakes, so always be fair when dealing with people and what you might deem faultiness. Let God be your influence to be fair and just.

SIBLING RIVALRY

1 John 4:20 teaches us, “If a man say, I love God, and hate his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” Sibling rivalries are very common and Cain and Abel weren’t exempt. The foundation of a rivalry is envy and Cain even came to kill his brother because of it. There’s a story about a man who met two travelers along a road. One was greedy and the other was envious. When they came to a crossroad the man said he would grant each a gift before they parted ways. The gift was this: whoever would make a wish first would have his wish granted while the other man would get a double portion of the wish. The greedy man knew what he wanted, but didn’t wish it because he didn’t want his traveling partner to have twice that of his own wish. The envious man was also unwilling to wish first because he knew he’d be envious of the greedy man having twice that of his own wish. Each waited for the other to wish until finally the greedy man took the envious man by the throat, saying he would choke him to death unless he made his wish. The envious man said, “Alright, I’ll make my wish. I wish to be made blind in one eye,” and immediately he lost sight in one eye – and his companion went blind in both eyes.” 1 John 4:21 says, “God himself has commanded that we must love not only him but our Christian brothers and sisters, too.” Are you interested in a cure to envy, greed and rivalry? You’ll find it by sincerely loving God and your Christian brothers and sisters.

UNTAPPED RICHES

Philippians 4:19 teaches us, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” The legend of King Midas says that Midas asked and received from the mythological Greek gods the gift of having everything he touches turn to gold. At first King Midas was delighted as he saw his riches grow. He ran into immediate difficulties with eating, however, because the moment he’d touch his food it would turn into gold. You see, the irony is that there’s poverty in riches and riches in poverty. The best riches are those that God supplies to a person who wisely asks of Him. Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 5:19, “it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life – that is indeed a gift from God.” So what should Christians do? We should ask for untapped riches from God Himself and the enjoyment and acceptance of His gift, whatever it may be.

IDENTITY CRISIS

Proverbs 24:12

Don't try to avoid responsibility by saying you didn't
know about it. For God knows all hearts, and he sees you.
He keeps watch over your soul, and he knows you knew!
And he will judge all people according to what they have done.

There was an incident many years ago about Lawrence Bader. For seven years, eight months, and twenty days, Bader became John “Fritz” Johnson. As Johnson, Bader ascended at KETV-TV in Omaha Nebraska to become the station sports director and also had a wife and two children in Omaha. A family friend of the Bader family spotted "Fritz" at a sports show in Chicago and alerted his family in Ohio. Fingerprinting confirmed that Bader and Johnson were one and the same. Bader had apparently disappeared into Cleveland, OH after heading a small boat out into storm-tossed Lake Erie and was presumed drowned when he didn’t turn up. He plead that he had no knowledge of his past in Akron, Ohio, where he was the son of a prominent dentist and the father of four children. Despite the fingerprint evidence, Bader insisted that he could not remember his old life. The Bible says in Psalm 139:13, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.” God already knows who you are; just allow Him to help you find out who you truly are. Certainly, you don't want to find yourself running away from who you truly are.

THE POWER OF WEAKNESS

2 Corinthians 12:10 says, “Since I know it is all for Christ's good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” In Besier’s play The Barretts of Wimpole Street, Elizabeth asks her husband, “O Robert, how can you love me when you are so strong and I am so weak?” Robert answers, “Elizabeth, my strength needs your weakness just as much as your weakness needs my strength.” Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t need our weakness, but we certainly need His strength. Paul quotes Jesus in 2 Corinthians 12:9 saying, "My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness." Well, if that’s the case, be more than glad to boast about your weaknesses because the power of Christ is going to work through you because our weakness is God’s opportunity to show His power in our lives.

DON’T LOSE HEART

1 Chronicles 22:13 says, “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!” There’s a story about a French Marshall that was reporting to General Napoleon saying, “I fear the battle is lost.” Napoleon very coolly looked at his watch and replied, “Time for another battle. Call for the army to a fresh charge.” Napoleon never lost heart during military battles which is why he was nicknamed Napoleon the Great. Churchill said in one of his most memorable speeches, “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, and we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender.” In Romans 8:31 says “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” Be strong and courageous – in Christ we already have the victory.

COMMITTING TO SERVE

Luke 9:62 says, "Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God." You know, there were a lot of people following Christ that wanted to be disciples, but most of them had demands that needed to met before they would commit to following. Jesus told them that if they wanted to follow Him, they’d have to take up their cross. The “cross” wasn’t just an object – it was a destiny. Jesus knew that His destiny was to bear the cross and He wasn’t going to turn his back on destiny. A young Sunday school student was going through this very lesson and he couldn’t contain himself while the teacher was telling the story of Lot and his wife turning into a pillars of salt (Genesis 19:26) as they looked back. The boy very excitedly interrupted his teacher saying, “My mother looked back once while she was driving and she turned into a fence post.” Funny thing… isn’t that exactly what happens when you turn your eyes from God’s plan for you? To be fit for the Kingdom, you’ve got to keep your eyes on the prize and don’t look back.

CONTROL YOUR TONGUE

Proverbs 13:3 says, “Those who control their tongue will have a long life; a quick retort can ruin everything.” So often we forfeit blessings that are for us because we can’t control a small piece of meat called the tongue. I’d read a funny story about an elderly man with a serious hearing problem. That man went to his doctor and was fitted for a hearing aid. Well, after one month the doctor said to the elderly man, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again." The old man retorted, "Oh… I haven't told my family. Now, I just sit around and listen to their conversations... I've already changed my will five times!" What does this all mean? If you just can’t control that small piece of meat in your mouth called your tongue, shut your mouth! It’s for your own good.

PROMISE KEEPER

Do you keep the promises that you make? Genesis 9:13 says, “I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my permanent promise to you and to all the earth.” Rainbows are beautiful natural works of art, aren’t they? They have a full spectrum of colors that will mesmerize anyone that gazes upon it. This promise made to us represents the beautiful and full spectrum of His faithfulness. 2 Timothy 2:13 says, “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.” Here’s a very personal story for you. As soon as my wife and I were married, we wanted to quickly start a family and just 3 months after our wedding day we learned that we were pregnant. That excitement was cut short just one month later as she miscarried. We were devastated by the news, but it was during those days that she felt God’s sweet presence assuring her with His words from Hebrews 13:5: “Be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.’” In keeping with His promise, God has given us two beautiful children and we are always reminded when we see them that He is a Promise Keeper. Just like the spectacular rainbows, promises that are kept are always beautiful.

MY HOME

Hebrews 13:14 says, “For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in heaven, which is yet to come.” A military doctor and his family had to live in cramped quarters in a hotel because of a housing shortage near their base. A friend said to the doctor’s six-year-old daughter, “That’s too bad that you don’t have a home.” The bright little girl quipped, “Oh, we’ve got a home; we just don’t have a house to put it in.” How cool would it be to have a big and fully furnished house just like one of those beautiful model houses that we see in fancy magazines? Jesus said in John 14:1-4, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” Meanwhile, try not to envy the wealthy and the celebrities with those big houses because God has prepared mansions for us - His children.

PLANNING

Have you made plans for your life? Luke 14:27-28 says, “And you cannot be my disciple if you do not carry your own cross and follow me." Don't begin to carry your own cross until you count the cost! What company would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if there’s enough money to pay for construction expenses? Check out Thomas Jefferson’s 10 Rules for Living:

1. Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can do today

2. Never trouble another for what you can do yourself

3. Never spend your money before you have it

4. Never buy what you don’t want because it is cheap

5. Pride costs more than hunger, thirst and cold

6. We seldom repent of having eaten too little

7. Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly

8. How much pain and evils have cost us that have never happened

9. Take things always by the smooth handle

10. When angry, count ten before you speak; if very angry, count to one hundred

It’s been said that when you fail to plan then you’ve planned to fail. These plans must be guided by principles of the Word of God. Proverbs 19:21 says, “You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail”. Therefore, align your plans and principles to the purposes of God.

SLOW DOWN

Zechariah 4:6 says, “This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” What do you do when you see a road sign that says, “Slow Down” or “Reduce Speed”? Why is it that when you’re in a hurry, it seems like slow drivers are everywhere? My wife and I would laughingly say that all the slow drivers were going to the same place we were going. I believe slow drivers were put in place for a reason: they’re God-sent obstructions purposed to slow us down because when we do things our own way, we often endanger ourselves or others. There’s a psychological technique used slow down speeders in Japan where the police have taken to planting dummy cops near intersections and in the bushes along country roads. The police claim that 99% of motorists slow down when they spot the dummies, especially at night when headlights make the fakes look all the more realistic. Whatever you do in life, there’s going to be a time for slowing down. These speed reductions are not there to stop you from getting to your goals, but rather to keep you safe and alive as you arrive at your goal. Always remember that the hand of God is orchestrating your life and His timing is perfect.

WISE AS A SERPENT

What is your decision making based upon? Matthew 10:16 says, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents…” When my family and I moved to the United States, I knew that God had brought us to a new place for a new life. At first, the new life for us in the US was very demanding, the culture very fast paced and it seemed like everyone was moving as fast as possible to catch the “American Dream”. With that said, my family decided together that the entire first paycheck I received would be offered to God. Sounds pretty risky, right? I knew, however, that in order to succeed in my new environment, I’d need to do the wisest thing – being obedient to God. Luke 6:38 says that, “If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving – large or small – it will be used to measure what is given back to you." Today, we’ve got everything a family needs and we have it to the fullest. I never complain because there’s nothing to complain about.

A GOOD HEART

Do you follow your heart? Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” Ugh!!! Well, this is a real an eye opener. I know a lot of people who’ll raise their eyebrows when they read this, but let me also share with you what Proverbs 23:26 says, “O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes delight in my ways of wisdom.” God is asking for our hearts, the seat of our emotions. When we rule in that seat, it’s only as good as who we are; but when we allow God to seat there, things are a whole lot different. I once heard somebody say that, “the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart.” That’s why Jesus said in Matthew 12:35, “A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart.” God is good as far as Jesus is concerned, just as he said in Mark 10:18, "Why do you call me good? Only God is truly good.” If we let God rule and reign in our hearts, our hearts will become good hearts.

FAIR SHARE

What do you spend your money on? Jesus said in Mark 12:17, "Give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." I’ve personally seen people go literally from rags to riches. There was a man that I knew who was bankrupted and started praying to God to bless him. He began serving the Lord and became part of all the activities at church. Because of his faithfulness, the Lord started to pour out His blessings to this man. Later on, because of time constraints from his businesses, he began resigning from his church responsibilities, activities and ministries. It’s just like an old story about a little boy that was on his way to the church with two nickels – one for the Lord and one for himself. On the way to church he lost one of nickels in a gutter. “Well, there goes the Lord’s nickel,” he said. Isn’t this usually the case? The Lord’s share in our life is always at stake when we become busy with the things that God Himself gave to us. Be blessed and give to God what must be given to God – His fair share.

GOOD MORNING!

Psalm 59:16 says, “But as for me, I will sing about your power. I will shout with joy each morning because of your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety in the day of distress.” Morning should feel fresh because a new day has come. For a meal, you eat a breakfast which means that you break the fast for the night and that you can start feeding your physical body. Some folks start their day with just a hot coffee and a newspaper. While this feeds the body, there’s still a piece of us that is often neglected or forgotten. I’d once read story about a grade school teacher that asked her class if there were any students who hadn’t had their breakfast, yet. A nine year old boy raised his hand. The teacher asked the boy why he hadn’t eaten and the boy replied, “In our home we don’t eat ’til we've eaten spiritual food. I was late getting up this morning so I had to leave right after the spiritual food, so I haven’t had any breakfast.” Get your day off to a great start by feeding your body and soul.

SEEING THE BAD? DON’T MISS THE GOOD!

How do you look at the challenges in life? John 5:10-11 says: So the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can't work on the Sabbath! It's illegal to carry that sleeping mat!” He replied, “The man who healed me said to me, ‘Pick up your sleeping mat and walk.’” This man’s story is found in John Chapter 5 – the man had been crippled for 38 years and sitting beside a pool where an angel would come stir the pool. The first person that would go down into the water after the stirring would be healed, but since this man was a cripple others would always pass him and go before him. For 38 years he was there hoping and waiting until Jesus came with a compassionate voice asking the man, “Do you want to get healed?” “Yes!” the man immediately replied and Jesus said, “Stand up, pick up your sleeping mat, and walk!" Now that’s a miracle, isn’t it? The man that had been sitting beside a pool waiting for 38 years was now walking! Notice, however, that the Jewish leaders said, "You can't work on the Sabbath! It's illegal to carry that sleeping mat!" Wait a minute… did they say it’s illegal to carry a sleeping mat??? Did they miss the fact that the crippled man was walking? Some people only see the bad, but miss the good. Let’s change that by seeing the good, and missing the bad.

PRESENTING… THE TRUTH

Job 27:4 says, “My lips will speak no evil, and my tongue will speak no lies.” Every word that comes out of our mouths comes from the heart and manifests who we are. The Bible says that as a man thinks, so is he. Well, there was a minister who had a friend that was an actor who was drawing large crowds while the minister was preaching to just few congregants in the church. The minister asked his actor friend, “How is it that you draw great crowds, and I’ve barely an audience at all? Your words are total fiction while mine is the unchangeable Truth.” The actor gave the simplest of replies: “I present my fiction as though it were truth while you present your truth as though it were fiction.” Christians, do you want to know how to influence many people? Just present the truth as the truth by speaking and living the truth.

MIRACLES DO HAPPEN

Matthew 14:21 says, “About five thousand men had eaten from those five loaves, in addition to all the women and children!” I read this funny story about a clergyman who was giving his parishioners a sermon on the Gospel, and he mentioned how with five loaves of bread our Savior fed five thousand people. Instead of saying five thousand though, he said five hundred. One of the altar boys told him after the service that he had made a mistake because the Gospel says five thousand. The clergyman said to him, “Be quiet – they’re already having a hard time just believing in five hundred.” We can all identify with that at some level, can’t we? Reading the miracle story is one thing and living it is another. That’s why miracles don’t happen to many people. Thomas the disciple didn’t even believe Jesus rose from the dead as written in John 20:29! Jesus said, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven't seen me and believe anyway." Miracles do happen – you just have to believe.