FROM THE BACK PEW
No claims of absolute originality are made for this material. As one man said, "I milk a lot of cows, but I churn my own butter."
God Made A Farmer
You may or may not have seen the incredible Superbowl 2013 Dodge Ram Commercial which had a reading by the late Paul Harvey. The reading went like this; “And on the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “I need a caretaker.” So God made a farmer” God said, “I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the field, milk cows again, eat supper, then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the school board.” So God made a farmer” God said, “I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt and watch it die, then dry his eyes and say,’ Maybe next year,’ I need somebody who can shape an ax handle from an ash tree, shoe a horse with hunk of car tire, who can make a harness out hay wire, feed sacks and shoe scraps. Who, during planting time and harvest season will finish his 40-hour week by Tuesday noon and then, paining from tractor back, put in another 72 hours.” So God made the farmer.
God said, “I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bales, yet gentle enough to wean lambs and wean pigs and tend the pink-comb pullets, who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the leg of a meadowlark.” It had to be somebody who’d plow deep and straight and not cut corners. Somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed, and brake, and disk, and plow, and plant, and tie the fleece and strain the milk, . Somebody who’d bale a family together with the soft, strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh, and then sigh and then reply with smiling eyes when his son says that he wants to spend his life doing what Dad does. “So God made a farmer.”
Only thing I’m going to add is this – God bless all the farmers!
God said, “I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bales, yet gentle enough to wean lambs and wean pigs and tend the pink-comb pullets, who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the leg of a meadowlark.” It had to be somebody who’d plow deep and straight and not cut corners. Somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed, and brake, and disk, and plow, and plant, and tie the fleece and strain the milk, . Somebody who’d bale a family together with the soft, strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh, and then sigh and then reply with smiling eyes when his son says that he wants to spend his life doing what Dad does. “So God made a farmer.”
Only thing I’m going to add is this – God bless all the farmers!
But I Thought
A fellow walked into a doctor's office and the receptionist asked him what he had. He said, "Shingles." So she took down his name, address, medical insurance number and told him to have a seat. A few minutes later a nurse's aid came out and asked him what he had. He said, "Shingles."
So she took down his height, weight, a complete medical history and told him to wait in the examining room. Ten minutes later a nurse came in and asked him what he had. He said, "Shingles."
So she gave him a blood test, a blood pressure test, an electrocardiogram, told him to take off all his clothes and wait for the doctor. Fifteen minutes later the doctor came in and asked him what he had. He said, "Shingles." The doctor said, "Where?" He said, "Outside in the truck. Where do you want them?"
Misunderstandings do not always end as well as this joke. A very vital factor in misunderstanding God’s word is the matter of pre-conceived ideas, the matter of a previous mind set. An example of this is clearly presented in II Kings 5, where we read the story of Naaman the leper. The military commander from Syria had come all the way to Israel to ask help from Elisha, God’s prophet. When he arrived, he waited before the house of Elisha and was surprised when Elisha sent a messenger to him to say, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times ...” The following verse reads, “But Naaman was angry, and went away, and saying, Behold, I thought he will surely come out to me and stand, and call on the name of Jehovah his God, and wave his hand over the place, and recover the leper.” (II Kings 5:10-11). Notice that Naaman had a very clear conception of exactly how Elisha would do the healing. When Elisha approached it in a different way, Naaman was angry, and said, “Behold I thought ...”
In our day, too, there are many who are never able to come to a clear understanding of God’s will for them, because of previous mind sets. I have been deeply disturbed from time to time by those who have fastened so firmly to some erroneous idea that they cannot hear the truth.
So she took down his height, weight, a complete medical history and told him to wait in the examining room. Ten minutes later a nurse came in and asked him what he had. He said, "Shingles."
So she gave him a blood test, a blood pressure test, an electrocardiogram, told him to take off all his clothes and wait for the doctor. Fifteen minutes later the doctor came in and asked him what he had. He said, "Shingles." The doctor said, "Where?" He said, "Outside in the truck. Where do you want them?"
Misunderstandings do not always end as well as this joke. A very vital factor in misunderstanding God’s word is the matter of pre-conceived ideas, the matter of a previous mind set. An example of this is clearly presented in II Kings 5, where we read the story of Naaman the leper. The military commander from Syria had come all the way to Israel to ask help from Elisha, God’s prophet. When he arrived, he waited before the house of Elisha and was surprised when Elisha sent a messenger to him to say, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times ...” The following verse reads, “But Naaman was angry, and went away, and saying, Behold, I thought he will surely come out to me and stand, and call on the name of Jehovah his God, and wave his hand over the place, and recover the leper.” (II Kings 5:10-11). Notice that Naaman had a very clear conception of exactly how Elisha would do the healing. When Elisha approached it in a different way, Naaman was angry, and said, “Behold I thought ...”
In our day, too, there are many who are never able to come to a clear understanding of God’s will for them, because of previous mind sets. I have been deeply disturbed from time to time by those who have fastened so firmly to some erroneous idea that they cannot hear the truth.
A Gentle Reminder
One afternoon a shopper at the local mall felt the need for a coffee break. She bought herself a little bag of cookies and put them in her shopping bag. She then got in line for coffee, found a place to sit at one of the crowded tables, and then taking the lid off her coffee and taking out a magazine she began to sip her coffee and read. Across the table from her a man sat reading a newspaper.
After a minute or two she reached out and took a cookie. As she did, the man seated across the table reached out and took one too. This put her off, but she did not say anything. A few moments later she took another cookie. Once again the man did so too. Now she was getting a bit upset, but still she did not say anything.
After having a couple of sips of coffee she once again took another cookie. So did the man. She was really upset by this - especially since now only one cookie was left. Apparently the man also realized that only one cookie was left. Before she could say anything he took it, broke it in half, offered half to her, and proceeded to eat the other half himself. Then he smiled at her and, putting the paper under his arm, rose and walked off.
Was she steamed. Her coffee break ruined, already thinking ahead of how she would tell this offense to her family, she folded her magazine, opened her shopping bag, and there discovered her own unopened bag of cookies.
I like that story - it makes me think about how well God treats me even when I am not treating him well or thinking all that kindly about him. It also makes me think about how, sometimes, I do not really appreciate what I have or act like I know where it has come from. It serves as a good reminder to me…
After a minute or two she reached out and took a cookie. As she did, the man seated across the table reached out and took one too. This put her off, but she did not say anything. A few moments later she took another cookie. Once again the man did so too. Now she was getting a bit upset, but still she did not say anything.
After having a couple of sips of coffee she once again took another cookie. So did the man. She was really upset by this - especially since now only one cookie was left. Apparently the man also realized that only one cookie was left. Before she could say anything he took it, broke it in half, offered half to her, and proceeded to eat the other half himself. Then he smiled at her and, putting the paper under his arm, rose and walked off.
Was she steamed. Her coffee break ruined, already thinking ahead of how she would tell this offense to her family, she folded her magazine, opened her shopping bag, and there discovered her own unopened bag of cookies.
I like that story - it makes me think about how well God treats me even when I am not treating him well or thinking all that kindly about him. It also makes me think about how, sometimes, I do not really appreciate what I have or act like I know where it has come from. It serves as a good reminder to me…
JUST SAY'N
God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.
Sometimes your medicine bottle has "shake well before using" printed on it. That is what God has to do with some of His people. He has to shake them well before they are ever usable.
“A country schoolteacher, applying for a job, was asked, ‘Do you teach that the earth is round or flat?’ ‘Which way do you want it taught?’ was the reply, ‘I can teach it either way.’ Something like that is the attitude in many a pulpit today.
We are sometimes repentant because of the harm we have done ourselves and others in our transgressions, but there is little repentance toward God... We may regret what our sins do to our testimony and the evil effect on others but we are little concerned because the fellowship with God is broken. This makes for shallow and inadequate confession because we have not touched the heart of the trouble.
Sometimes your medicine bottle has "shake well before using" printed on it. That is what God has to do with some of His people. He has to shake them well before they are ever usable.
“A country schoolteacher, applying for a job, was asked, ‘Do you teach that the earth is round or flat?’ ‘Which way do you want it taught?’ was the reply, ‘I can teach it either way.’ Something like that is the attitude in many a pulpit today.
We are sometimes repentant because of the harm we have done ourselves and others in our transgressions, but there is little repentance toward God... We may regret what our sins do to our testimony and the evil effect on others but we are little concerned because the fellowship with God is broken. This makes for shallow and inadequate confession because we have not touched the heart of the trouble.
I AM THANKFUL...
FOR THE WIFE, WHO SAYS IT'S KRAFT DINNER AND HOT DOGS TONIGHT, BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.
FOR THE HUSBAND, WHO IS ON THE SOFA, BEING A COUCH POTATO, BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.
FOR THE TEENAGER, WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES, BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.
FOR THE TAXES I PAY, BECAUSE IT MEANS, I AM EMPLOYED.
FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.
FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG, BECAUSE IT MEANS, I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.
FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK, BECAUSE IT MEANS, I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE
FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME .
FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING, I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE IT MEANS, WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH..
FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT, BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.
FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL, BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.
FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH, WHO SINGS OFF KEY, BECAUSE IT MEANS, I CAN HEAR.
FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.
FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES, AT THE END OF THE DAY, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.
FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF, IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS, BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.
FOR THE HUSBAND, WHO IS ON THE SOFA, BEING A COUCH POTATO, BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.
FOR THE TEENAGER, WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES, BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.
FOR THE TAXES I PAY, BECAUSE IT MEANS, I AM EMPLOYED.
FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.
FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG, BECAUSE IT MEANS, I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.
FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK, BECAUSE IT MEANS, I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE
FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME .
FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING, I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE IT MEANS, WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH..
FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT, BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.
FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL, BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.
FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH, WHO SINGS OFF KEY, BECAUSE IT MEANS, I CAN HEAR.
FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.
FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES, AT THE END OF THE DAY, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.
FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF, IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS, BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.
Digging Up Bones Part 1 of 3
Randy Travis sings about sitting all alone “digging up bones”, stirring up old memories that are best left buried.
Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with being alone - in fact it is good to be alone once in a while. But, sitting there “Exhuming things better left alone” doesn’t sound much like a fun evening. Resurrecting memories of a love that’s dead and gone” sounds as uplifting as drinking a glass of warm sour milk.
Sadly we’ve all at one time or another done some digging. Perhaps more than once. We may not have done it in exactly the same way Randy Travis sang about, but we are all guilty of “digging up bones” - of “exhuming things that’s better left alone”.
Consider: A man walks in the door after a hard day at work and the first thing his wife tells him is, "You left your dirty breakfast dishes on the table this morning. I’m sick and tired of picking up after you!" The man taken back says.. "Well if you would have gone to bed earlier instead of watching David Letterman last night. You could have made breakfast for me." To which the lady responds, "Well, it’s a good thing I stayed up or I wouldn’t have noticed that you forgot to turn off the light in the barn again." And then he says, "Well two weeks ago I got home from working the graveyard shift and every light in the house was on - and you were still asleep and the young’ns missed their bus." Before this moment of intense fellowship comes to its unpleasant end the whole situation is blamed on a visit by Uncle Leo in 1976 and Amos the dog that the husband had when the couple first got married. This couple was “exhuming things that are better left alone.”
It is so disheartening to listen to the broken record of the “Bone Digger Uppers”. A fellow doesn’t stand a chance! Aren’t you glad that our Savior Christ Jesus doesn’t do that? To all who would forsake sin, God offers the same - a new chance and promises to blot out all old sin and make the record begin with a new start - a clean slate.
As we read in Psalm 103, “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our "transgressions from us.” As the heavens are high above the earth - as far as the east is from the west. God doesn’t say, Now you’re forgiven of all your sins and transgressions, but if you mess up again, I’m going to dig up all your past sins and remind you of them. No God doesn’t “dig up bones”. Our sins are forgotten! It’s as if they never happened! That’s God’s grace.
Digging Up Bones Part 2 of 3
God’s word promises in I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins…..”
Even though it’s somewhat of a mystery, God not only forgives, but in fact “blots out” and forget the sins of His children.
Friends there is a hard part in this passage, at least for most of us “if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” The word “forgive” here means to bestow favor unconditionally. As Christ “forgave” you, so you must do! God wants us to forgive those who have wronged us the same way Christ has forgiven us - no matter how bad that wrong has been. But God, we cry out, how can I forgive that person - you don’t know what they have done to me!
Yes, He does - and He still wants you to forgive them “just like Christ forgave you.” Friends, I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t always come easy for me. I some how want them to say for what they’ve done…. Yet, a true Christian will always treat the offending party graciously! ALWAYS!
In Matthew 18: 21-22 Peter asks Jesus how often should I forgive people? Up to seven times?
Jesus said, ‘Not up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Now Jesus in this passage is not telling Peter that once you forgive your brother 490 times you can treat him anyway you want.
Jesus wasn’t giving Peter a starting line for “digging up bones.” He says we must forgive - without limit! Dare I be so bold as to point something else out…. Although we are commanded in the Word of God to repent of our sins and ask forgiveness - Jesus never add ed that condition. Jesus is asking us to forgive those who have offended us without limit:
No matter what their attitude might be
No matter whether they’ve made restitution or not
No matter whether they’ve repented of their offenses or not
No matter whether they’ve told us they are sorry or not
No matter whether they continue to offend us or not!
I know this is tough but with God all things are possible.
God’s word promises in I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins…..”
Even though it’s somewhat of a mystery, God not only forgives, but in fact “blots out” and forget the sins of His children.
Friends there is a hard part in this passage, at least for most of us “if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” The word “forgive” here means to bestow favor unconditionally. As Christ “forgave” you, so you must do! God wants us to forgive those who have wronged us the same way Christ has forgiven us - no matter how bad that wrong has been. But God, we cry out, how can I forgive that person - you don’t know what they have done to me!
Yes, He does - and He still wants you to forgive them “just like Christ forgave you.” Friends, I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t always come easy for me. I some how want them to say for what they’ve done…. Yet, a true Christian will always treat the offending party graciously! ALWAYS!
In Matthew 18: 21-22 Peter asks Jesus how often should I forgive people? Up to seven times?
Jesus said, ‘Not up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Now Jesus in this passage is not telling Peter that once you forgive your brother 490 times you can treat him anyway you want.
Jesus wasn’t giving Peter a starting line for “digging up bones.” He says we must forgive - without limit! Dare I be so bold as to point something else out…. Although we are commanded in the Word of God to repent of our sins and ask forgiveness - Jesus never add ed that condition. Jesus is asking us to forgive those who have offended us without limit:
No matter what their attitude might be
No matter whether they’ve made restitution or not
No matter whether they’ve repented of their offenses or not
No matter whether they’ve told us they are sorry or not
No matter whether they continue to offend us or not!
I know this is tough but with God all things are possible.