Good Things

by E. Christian, McAlester, OK
Thursday, February 16, 2012

GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23(New King James Version).

GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
(Jesus said) 27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man (Jesus) will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” - John 6:27(New King James Version).

A QUOTE
Character is the root of the tree; conduct, the fruit it bears. - E. M. Bounds -

THOUGHTS TO REMEMBER
Blessed are the quilters, for they shall be called the piece makers. - From Reminisce Magazine -
Just as Christians cannot love God without loving others, they also cannot submit to God without submitting to others. - From Reflecting God -
The peacock of today may be the feather duster of tomorrow. - From Reminisce Magazine -

NOTES
Today was cloudy this morning and partly cloudy this afternoon. High temperature today was 51 degrees and the low temperature was 42 degrees. I had lunch with Charley and Bill. I came by the post office and picked up my mail. I took my nap in early afternoon. Smokey was napping with me when I awakened. I put out food and treats at 5:00 p.m. Since the last Good Things I have heard from Geneva and Michelle. Nothing much happened in my life today but I did thank the Lord for His many Blessings. I am one day closer to going to meet Jesus and my Flonnie.
The cats are fine. Little Girl and Rascal are asleep here in the den. Emmy came by a little while ago and talked to me a second. I guess she was just being friendly.
I hope everyone has a nice Friday! I will see you next time.
In Christian Love, Everett.

Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK
Feb. 16, 2012

“Grace, Grace, God’s Grace”
“She’ll (wisdom) garland your life with grace…” – Proverbs 4:9 (NIV)

In chapter one, we read these words: "Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. They (our parent's teaching) will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck." – 1:8, 9 (NIV),br />
Allow me to add the following:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8, 9)

“For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.” (Romans 3:28)

“The test of the Gospel is grace. If the message excludes grace, or mingles law with grace as the means either of justification or sanctification…it is a ‘different’ gospel, and the preacher of it is under the anathema of God.” (Scofield’s Notes—Galatians)

Paul’s writings are filled with the word, “grace.” The book of Galatians especially. The Apostle was dealing with divisions within the church based on positions that polarized the thinking of the members of the church—those who held to the Law as the means of salvation, and those who held to Grace as the means of salvation. Some Jewish converts to Christianity held that obedience to the Old Testament Law (works righteousness) was equal in importance to belief in Jesus Christ. Paul insisted that “the power of God for salvation” is given to those who believe (Romans 1:16), and that justification comes by faith “apart from works of the Law.” (Emphases mine)

I really like these words from John Wesley:
“The grace or love of God, whence cometh our salvation, is free in all, and free for all. It is free in all to whom it is given. It does not depend on any power or merit in man; no, not in any degree, neither in whole, nor in part. It does not in anywise depend either on the good works or righteousness of the receiver; not on anything he has done, or anything he is.”

Could it be any clearer? God has a gift for you. It is the most valuable gift in the world. You cannot buy it, even if you have wealth beyond measure. It is free to you. God has already paid for it in full. You cannot earn it. You don’t deserve it, but God wants you to have it. It does not depend on anything you are, anything you have, or anything you do. In fact, even if you decide you don’t want to accept the gift, God still offers it to you. If you choose to accept it, you will have all of it you will ever need. And it will help you excel in everything good you do for others.
How great is this gift? Consider these words from songwriter Julia H. Johnson, written in 1910:
“Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, freely bestowed on all who believe….”
I typically do not pay a great deal of attention to what secular entertainers say unless it happens to be in regard to spiritual matters. Most entertainers are self-absorbed, and lack any true insight when it comes to matters pertaining to Christ. But every now and then one will surprise you. Such is the case with the singer Bono from the Irish Rock Band, U2. U2 released an album in the 1980's called, "The Joshua Tree." Most of if not all of the songs on that album were deeply spiritual in nature and although none mentioned the name "God," or "Christ," many of the lyrics carried some very deep spiritual overtones. One of the songs is called "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking for." One line in the songs says this: You broke the bonds, and you loosed the chains. Carried the cross, Of my shame, Oh my shame, You know I believe it...
Right after the album was released, Bono was asked not only about the song or the album but what he considered to be the one thing that meant the most to him in life. He said without hesitation, "The concept of grace. No matter how bad I screw things up I know His grace will clear them up." Good answer!!
No wonder Solomon said it would beautify our lives. No wonder it is called Amazing!
Pastor J. T. Carnell

Nan's Calendar

by Nan Forehand, Statesville, NC
Feb. 16, 2012

We are still in the season of Winter. The sky is cloudy and gray in my world right now. Dead leaves still lie on the ground among the trees in the woods outside my window. Below the earth, changes are beginning to take place. Soon, flowers will bloom and the lawns will explode into a sea of green. We will sigh deeply into the warm breeze tickling our skin. Life will be good then. Life is good now. Experience the beauty present today. Live today. That's really all you have to do. Yes, there are many things you could do, many things you should do, many things you want to do. Sometimes, simply doing nothing for a period of time is important. Remember, relaxation is a natural tranquilizer. It's important to set goals for yourself, to pace yourself and to enjoy yourself all the while. It takes work to achieve a goal. In most cases, one does the work and then gets paid. It's the same as we grow spiritually, physically, emotionally, relationally. Do the work necessary now and then you will reap the reward.
How you spend your first waking hour in the morning sets the tone for the rest of your day. Remember that as you rush about the house and catch your breath as you leave home for your destination, you set the tone for your activities to come. Sometimes, going to bed a little earlier and rising a little earlier creates the time necessary to slow down your pace as you prepare to leave the house. Take time to simply be. Take time to relax from your labor. Take time to meditate. Take time to nurture yourself. No worries. Let them loose into the wind and be gone.
Take care and have a wonderful day. I will. Remember that I love you. God loves you more.
Nan

The man who sows a single beautiful thought in the mind of another renders the world, through that act, a greater service than that rendered by all the fault-finders combined.
Napoleon Hill

A Sower of Seeds

written by Nan Forehand
January 31, 2006

in times past, I was a sower of seeds
yes, I used a hoe and I pulled weeds

up before daylight
and toiled until night

in the rain or blazing sun
still the work had to be done

crops of tobacco, beans and corn,br /> at times, my spirit was torn,br />
more than just the crops grew
though I was weak, my spirit grew, too

today, I'm still a sower of seeds
seeds of encouragement for a soul's needs

seeds of kindness for an aching heart
seeds of hope for a soul torn apart

as long as there's life and breath in me
I'll continue to be a sower of seeds for Thee

2 Corinthians 9:6
remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

Good Things

by E, Christian, McAlester, OM
Wednesday, February 15, 2012

GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD,br /> (Jesus said) 31 “When the Son of Man (Jesus) comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’" - Matthew 25:31-40(New King James Version).

GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
(The Apostle Paul said) 38 “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you." - Acts 13:38(New International Version)

A QUOTE
I'm learning that having enough money isn't nearly as much fun as I thought it would be when I didn't have any. That money buys less than you think. - Phil Callaway -

THOUGHTS TO REMEMBER
A good listener is a popular conversationalist and learns something, too. - From Reminisce Magazine -
You can't enjoy the cream of life if you bottle up the milk of human kindness. - From Reminisce Magazine -

NOTES
Today has been a cloudy day and there might have been a few light sprinkles of rain that I didn't see. High temperature today was 58 degrees with a low temperature of 43 degrees. I had lunch with Charley and Bill. I came by the post office to check my mail. I took my nap this afternoon while the cats were sleeping elsewhere. I put out food and treats at 4:45 p.m. I watched a Billy Graham service at 6:00 p.m. The one I watched tonight took place in Columbia, South Carolina in 1987. In 1987, Miss America was from South Carolina. She was on the program and gave her Christian testimony and sang "Amazing Grace." I wish each of you could have watched that program. Since the last Good Things I have heard from Alice, Geneva and Michelle. I always appreciate the e-mails. If anyone would like to be dropped from the Good Things, just let me know.
The cats are fine. Little Girl is asleep on the back of the couch. Rascal and also Friendly were by a few minutes ago. The others are around somewhere not too far away.
I hope everyone has a nice Thursday. I will see you next time.
In Christian Love, Everett.

Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, mcAlester.OK
Feb. 15, 2012

“Embracing Life In Christ”
“…embrace her (wisdom)—and she will honor you!” – Proverbs 4:8 (NIV)

In the previous message I used this definition to describe an embrace: “An embrace is where two people are able to feel each other’s heartbeat, physically, emotionally and spiritually.” To embrace something or someone is to go beyond “going through the motions,” it is intentional and it is meaningful.
I would like to take that definition and add this one word to it, a word that I use often and one that is often misunderstood. PASSION! We mistakenly associate this word with a romantic encounter but to do so would be to do a great disservice to how it can be and should be applied to our relationship with the Living God! When we embrace God and the life (and wisdom) He wants to provide—how can we not be passionate about it? Taking this thought I would like to take this in a bit of different direction and instead of giving my commentary on the matter I would like to provide a couple of my favorite illustrations. Life is the best measure of applied truth and the two illustrations I am giving are in my opinion great applications of what it means to truly “embrace” life. The first is what happens when you decide to do something with the life you have been given. The second is what happens when you decided to do something with your life in Christ! Both can have impact…one will change lives. The first illustration was reported in Los Angeles Times in the late 90’s. It is about a man by the name of Larry Walters. Larry was about 33 years old at the time. Now Larry was working man and when he would come home from work he would sit in his back yard in a lawn chair drinking a coke or a pepsi…and one day as he was sitting in that lawn chair he got to thinking how interesting it might be if he could attach enough helium filled balloons to his lawn chair – to make it float. Just fly a little. Not too far or too high, about 100 feet. Just enough to drift around the neighborhood, see what his neighbors were doing. It would certainly liven things up. The more he thought about it the more he liked the idea!
He began to develop and refine his plan. How would he control the altitude? With a little hand-held bb gun! If he started getting too high he would just shoot one of balloons. Theoretically it sounded good. He talked about this with his friends and the day of the launch was set. With several of his friends there they attached 45 helium filled weather balloons to his lawn chair and they held it down until he was safely secured in the chair. With his bb gun clutched safely in his hand he gave the signal and his friends let go of the chair – and Larry Walters was off. He was airborne.
Only Larry Walters did not go 100 feet. No, he shot right up to 11,000 feet! Larry’s situation was further complicated by the fact that he lived near the flight path of the L.A. International airport. The pilot of a United DC 10 was on his final approach when much to his surprise he spotted Larry. He radioed to the tower, “I think you ought to know that there is guy flying a lawn chair at 11,000 feet.” It shut the airport down for 2 hours.
When he was finally rescued he was greeted by a group of reporters. One of them asked, “Why didn’t you use the BB gun like you originally planned?” Larry said, “I was too scared to let go of the lawn chair!” Another reported then asked, “Larry, why did you do it?” “Because,” Larry said calmly, “you just can’t sit there.” Upon further prodding he was saying life was just passing him by. He would work and then come home and look around – and he finally concluded that “You just can’t sit there and let life pass you by!”
I love that last line! Larry “embraced” a thought and ran with it. The only thing this story misses is the power of God to accompany his thinking! Larry’s idea made for a great adventure, but lacked in wisdom. Take a look now at illustration number two and the difference wisdom makes when someone steps out for God!
Illustration #2: In 1917 a young bible student named Cameron Townsend could not afford to pay tuition, so he signed a one year contract with a publishing company selling Spanish Bibles in the jungles of Central America. The pay was good, and he reasoned that in a year he would be able to resume his education. The problem was that 6 out of 10 Guatemalans spoke only an Indian language called Cakchiquel (koch-i-kell) and could not read at all, so there was very little interest in his Bibles. When one native asked Townsend, "Why doesn't your God speak my language?" Townsend realized that he had no answer. He decided to stay in Central America and learn Cakchiquel, even though the language had never been written down. Despite the fact that Townsend was not a liguist or even a college graduate he devised an alphabet, put the language into writing and then, after 12 years of hard work, presented the first book ever published in Cakchiquel to the president of Guatemala. The book was the New Testament. During the time, Townsend had also founded five schools, a clinic, a print shop, and an orphanage. This was only the beginning of achievements of this great man of God. Temporary financial problems led Cameron Townsend to a life's work that changed the course of Central American history.
Imagine what would happen in our churches if more people were a combination of Larry Walters and Cameron Townsend. People who are willing to “embrace” life and the power/wisdom of God, and then live it out with passion!! People who are not afraid of the questions or the consequences, believing that when God is in it He will take responsibility for the consequences. That, in my opinion, is what it means to embrace life…and then watching God honor our actions.
Pastor J. T. Carnell