Daily Jewel

By Pastor Carnell, McAlester,

“It Does Not Pay to Be a Fool”

“Deceit causes trouble, and foolish talk will bring you to ruin.” – Proverbs 10:10 (Contemporary English Version)

A number of the past messages have been along these lines of showing care when using “words.” If this seems like overkill I would point out the fact that if there is anything we have learned throughout the centuries is that we have not learned anything! The human race continues to march down the same reckless path producing the same disastrous results—RUIN.
The word “fool” conjures up a number of images and/or perceptions. One is that of a “jester.” A jester, joker, fool, wit-cracker, or prankster was a person employed to tell jokes and provide general entertainment, typically for a European monarch or courtier. Jesters are often depicted to have typically worn brightly colored clothes and eccentric hats in what is referred to as a motley pattern. They were floppy with three points, each of which had a jingle bell at the end. The three points of the hat represent donkey's ears and nose and tail. Other things distinctive about the jester were his laughter and his mock scepter, known as a "bauble" or marotte. Many courts throughout English royal history employed entertainers and most had professional fools, sometimes called licensed fools. Entertainment included music, juggling, clowning, and the telling of riddles. Interesting history lesson…is it not?
One thing not noted here but can be found in other sources—if a jester failed to meet the king’s pleasure his position was terminated—literally. Maybe that is where we get the idiom, “died laughing.”
If the definition of fool is one who mocks, then it would stand to reason that “foolish talk” would fall along the same line. So what might this entail?
We have, in our society individuals known as “comedians.” I would call this our modern equivalent of the fool. Men and women who are paid thousands, if not millions of dollars to act, speak, and work in ways that are intended solely to entertain us and make us laugh. Many of them use crude, immoral, profane, and obscene methods in their “routines.” These individuals mock God, the King, because their methods violate everything He stands for.
Recently, a Hollywood icon passed away. His name was Andy Griffith. Many of us grew up watching the Andy Griffith Show and the subsequent spin-offs, Mayberry R.F.D. and Gomer Pyle, USMC. These were comedy shows. They did more than make us laugh, they entertained us with wholesome scenarios and situations. Never did they insult our intelligence, values or morals with jokes laced with sexual innuendos, put downs or sight gags filled with nudity or bodily pain? The closest comedy every got to anything like that was the Three Stooges—tame compared with what exists today.
After his death I discovered that before going into acting he was studying to be a minister in the Moravian Church. But he felt another call—one that would combine two of his greatest passions, music and story-telling. Those two loves along with his incredible talent and sense of humor won him a role as a county sheriff (who was also a justice of the peace and the editor of the local newspaper) in an episode of Make Room for Daddy, starring Danny Thomas. This episode, in which Thomas' character is stopped for speeding in a little town, served as a pilot for The Andy Griffith Show. Don’t you wish more shows had individuals like Andy Griffith who are able to combine talent and good taste?
Our modern “fools” may be making a lot of money—but are they creating an atmosphere of real joy, hope, peace, and love?

Daily Jewel

By Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK
Aug. 29, 2012
“Under Oath”
“Someone who holds back the truth causes trouble.” – Proverbs 10:10 (Good News Translation)

“Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” After watching years of Perry Mason and Matlock I practically hear those words in my sleep. The meaning of them is clear—anything that is not the “whole truth” is not truth at all and if one is caught not telling the truth (under oath) there is thing called perjury and those who commit perjury are guilty under the law.
Perjury: “The deliberate, willful giving of false, misleading, or incomplete testimony under oath. The breach of an oath or promise.”
As Christians we are always, “under oath.” Meaning—we have a responsibility to lead lives that are straight—deliberate—and trustworthy. Whether we believe or not, like it or not, which is closer to reality than we like, we are being watched and listened to. That places a high level of expectation I know—but for Jesus’ sake it is worth it. And just a reminder, Jesus cares about His reputation.

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. – Acts 5:1-11

This event has always been somewhat troubling—not necessarily regarding Ananias and Sapphira’s tragic demise, but that it could have been avoided if they had only been upfront with Apostles from the very beginning.
We are not privy to the conversation this couple must have had prior to these events, but from all appearances they must have pledged to give the money from their land to the Apostles, which in turn was to be used for the Kingdom. Ananias and Sapphira must have had their own conversation where it was decided they would “hold back” some of the money for themselves. When Peter asked, “…is this the whole amount?” they both give the same account. The result—Perjury 101.
For those who may think God was callous in His indictment of these two consider Peter’s words when he told them literally, “It was your land to do with what you wanted.” Which was true. But at soon as they pledged it for the Kingdom—it became His property. Makes a bit of difference don’t you think?
Paul writes in 1st Corinthians: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1st Cor. 6:19-20)
To repeat an earlier statement we have taken an oath to serve Christ and to live for Him according to HIS standards—not ours! Sir Walter Scott wrote: “O what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” Solomon understood this! As a judge, he was able to see through people’s duplicity and get to the truth. He knew, as Jesus did too that a person’s oath was their bond. To purposely mislead for one’s selfish gain always has the possibility of a tragic end. (See John 8).
Stay true. Speak true. You’re under oath.

Daily Jewel

By Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK

“Truth Will Out” “…he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” – Proverbs 10:9b (NIV)

I came across a statement a few weeks ago that has been imprinted in my mind ever since and I figured a time would eventually come when I would use it in one of the Jewels—I realize that time is now. It goes like this: “It is easier to cast stones than it is to retrieve them.”
This idiom has a host of implications and can be used to represent any number of truths and concepts but one that I found the most appealing and powerful have to do with that of Responsibility!
Consider where we have been over the past few days (and messages) and this really comes into focus. First, our actions (or lack of them) speaks volumes about our character, work ethic, and can and does have bearing on whether we are prosperous or poverty-stricken. And I caution everyone to not equate wealth with prosperity. A prosperous person is not always a wealthy one—it is someone who has what they need and then some. Poverty, on the other hand is used to describe those who have absolutely nothing (and I do mean NOTHING!) and are unable to meet even their daily needs of food and/or water. They must rely upon others for the very essentials of life. Anyone reading this is probably not in this position at this time! Second, our words carry as much, maybe even more significance than our actions. I’ve used this phrase on several occasions and certainly applies here: “Words mean things!” Words can lift up or destroy. Words can lead an army into battle—or bring a nation to its knees. Words, whether spoken or written are the most powerful weapon we have. They also have a lot to do with integrity! In the 1980’s when email became a popular tool, there was one circulating claiming that the Proctor and Gamble company logo was “cultic.” In the text of the message was the assertion that the president of the company was a member of the Church of Satan, and that proceeds of the company was used to fund the church. I remember receiving one of those emails! I remember that after reading it we went to our cupboards looking for any and every P & G product, looking for the logo. For at three weeks we attempted to boycott the company, believing this claim to be true! As a result of that email (and our own actions), P & G’s profits declined significantly. The claims were deemed false and were eventually linked to a couple of individuals representing Amway. P & G sued Amway and lost, but eventually won a settlement against the individuals. The individuals sending out that message were walking a “crooked path,” and impugned upon the reputation of a company. That is not to say that P & G walks an absolute straight path because I can neither confirm nor deny how they practice their business. If they, or any other business or corporation walks a crooked path, it would be my hope that like these individuals they would have to reap the punishments of their actions/words.
I have two suggestions for us to consider here. One, if ever you should receive a message of any sort that attacks a person’s or company’s character, be it through email, Twitter, Facebook or even the good old fashioned mail, handle that information with extreme care! Not every source is reputable or unbiased. The term, “Free-Speech” does not give anyone the liberty to spread information that is misleading and/or false.
Second, before forwarding that information on to those on your “friend list” or posting it on your page (for you facebook fanatics) have you verified that the information you are posting is true? Or, is there a motive behind the information being sent. My philosophy is that if the information is indeed true and verifiable, the results will speak for themselves. Keep in mind the phrase from the Shakespearean play, The Merchant of Venice: “Truth will out!”
You’ve no doubt heard the phrase, “you may be the only Jesus some will ever see.” There is something to be said regarding that. Consider it in another capacity: “The path you take may be the one someone will need to follow to find the truth.” Be careful how you walk. You never know where it will lead someone!
Pastor J. T. Carnell

Daily Jewel

By Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK

“Staying in Tune”
“…Whoever walks in integrity walks securely…” – Proverbs 10:9 (NIV)

The word "integrity" stems from the Latin adjective integer (whole, complete). In this context, integrity is the inner sense of "wholeness" deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistency of character. As such, one may judge that others "have integrity" to the extent that they act according to the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold. Integrity can also describe the strength of one’s resolve or character—especially under duress. Allow me to illustrate.
For those who are unaware I am a guitar player. Playing the guitar is a passion and often a release. I started playing in Junior High and it has followed me through my life. When I was a freshman in college I found and purchased a Yamaha Twelve String. It became my prize possession and for a number of years I used it for many purposes. For two years while in college I was in a traveling public relations group and my guitar was used often. I realized early in my ministry that it would be a great tool as well—especially when the church pianist could not be there and the guitar was the only instrument available. Then one day the unthinkable happened. We were at our district children’s camp and as I had done for the past four years my guitar followed me. At the end of the week we were packing up the kids and our belongings. We had two vans with me driving one and my wife driving the other. I had put the guitar in back of one of the vans but it was before we had some of the kids belongings packed so I was instructed to set it next to the van. For some unexplained reason the guitar was left on the ground and after we had traveled about 40 miles from the camp I was informed by my wife that while she was pulling out she RAN OVER my guitar. When we got home the impact of what had happened devastated me! My beloved guitar had been crushed—or so it seems.
It was broken at the top of neck just above the tuners. It was indeed broken but at least repairable. There was a man in the church who was an excellent wood-worker and he was able to patch the neck together and by all appearances I had my guitar back. At least for a while. Because it was (and I speak of it in the past tense) a 12-String, the increased tension of the strings made it too much for it to maintain its integrity. Meaning...it would not stay in tune. I eventually had to do the unthinkable and throw my beloved guitar away. Sigh!
I hope that within this elongated story you caught the analogy—integrity is all about strength. Strength of character and value. And a person of integrity walks “in tune” with the Lord. In fact they walk together because they are in tune with each other.
There are two things that can breach that integrity: Stress being one. Stress that is caused by attempting to be and do more than we were meant to do. Twelve-string guitars can handle a great amount of stress because they were designed that way. But time and continued use can lead the neck to warp and when that occurs—it is nearly impossible for the guitar to stay in tune. Another element that can breach one’s integrity is to take away one’s resolve. And that, ladies and gentlemen is exactly what the enemy wants to do—remove your resolve to live in tune with Jesus. He will try to break you, pressure you, until the only option (you think) is to throw it all away. And that is never the answer.
A couple of years after I put my guitar to rest a man in the church I was the pastor of at the time brought to me one day a practically brand new 12-String Alvarez Guitar. It was given to him some years before but he never played it and he presented to me as a gift. That was in 1996 and that guitar is still in use today. God knew how important that was in my life and paved the way for the music to play again!
Walk in integrity! Stay strong! And when traveling, make sure all luggage gets in the vehicle before traveling!
Pastor J. T. Carnell

Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK

“Speechless Praise!”

“…babbling fools fall flat on their faces…” – Proverbs 10:8b (NLT)

Babble: “To utter sounds imperfectly, indistinctly, or without meaning. To talk idly, irrationally, excessively, or foolishly.” I was expecting to see the word politician somewhere in this definition but apparently we are supposed to take that for granted.

The word “babble” is an interesting one and it goes back a long ways. From almost the beginning of civilization we have encountered this phenomenon. But it wasn’t always that way. Consider the following:
,br /> At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there. They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.” But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. “Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.”
In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world.” – Genesis 11:1-9 (NLT)

In my opinion—the “babbling” began long before they started stacking bricks. It was when they made the decision to be their own gods. That is the true essence of this account in Genesis—they wanted to make a name for themselves—be bigger than what they were. What they discovered was a very humbling and life-changing experience. I’ve noticed over the years that those who attempt to prove their intelligence do so at the risk of actually proving themselves otherwise. Mostly, they make the conversation about them—what they know—what they can do—what they have done—so on and so forth. And what does their “babbling” accomplish? In the end it falls flat. And so will they.
This is where “praise” comes in. Not our own but our praise of God. The psalmist reminds us that God “inhabits the praise of His people.” (22:3) Meaning, He will be where His name is revered and respected. Talk about Him, and your words (and actions) will carry purpose and direction. You want to build a tower? Then make certain you are doing it for all the right reasons! Those seeking positions in the right way know the right things to say and the right ways to go about it. They are not self-seeking and in return will be rewarded. On the other hand, those seeking to fulfill selfish and ungodly ambitions may for a while find success—but in the end will discover their efforts were misguided and wrong. The Psalmist gives some good insight here:

This is what the wicked are like—always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments. If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. – Psalm 73:12-17,br />
Giving a speech anytime soon? Choose your words and subject very carefully. In fact, the Apostle Paul gives us the perfect recipe here: “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1st Thessalonians 5:18, NLT),br /> This will keep you humble! And will prevent you from falling flat on your face. In fact, a good way to think of it may be this: If you want to build a tower, build a tower of praise. And let the “babblers” go their own way.
Pastor J. T. Carnell.