Too Much Of A Good Thing

If what I was taught in my biology classes was accurate, 55-70% of the adult human body is made up of good ol' H2O (this figure varies from source to source). This being the case, doctors, nutritionists -- and naturally -- bottled water companies everywhere urge us to be sure we are drinking sufficient quantities of this life-sustaining serum. Some have even suggested water is second only to oxygen in its essential properties for sustaining life. It is hard to argue with that, I suppose.

So, you can't get too much water, right? Sounds good...only it is not true. In January 2007, a 28-year-old mother of three lost her life as a result of water intoxication. Poisoned by water?!?! "Impossible!" you say? I would have thought so myself before reading of this incident.

The young was competing in a contest run by a Sacramento morning radio show. The challenge was to determine which contestant could drink the largest quantity of water in a brief period of time without using the "facilities." The so-called "winner" (really though...does anyone actually win here?) would be awarded a brand new Nintendo Wii video gaming system. She died just hours after the conclusion of the contest.

This sad story made me think about how too much of a good thing can indeed be harmful. In this case, something as good -- yea, essential -- as water turned out to be fatal! Is this not true in other areas as well? Truly, anything that would impede my ability to serve the Lord, giver of all things good (James 1:17) is something which must be kept in check. Time investments in areas such as recreation, bodily exercise, my "9 to 5," and even time spent with friends and loved ones are all WONDERFUL God-given blessings. However, consider how too much of any good thing can be fatal to your soul.

Let us learn to be betters managers of our time. Work hard, play hard, enjoy family time to your fullest...but for your OWN sake...do not allow the trappings of life so monopolize your valuable God-given minutes that you drift from the side of your gracious and benevolent Savior.

Too much of a good thing...the outcome is almost always a bad thing.

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Power-Packed Prayer

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
James 5:13-16, ESV

Three components of effective prayer seen here in these verses:

1) Persistence (v. 13-14)
2) Faith (v. 15)
3) Confession (v. 16a)
3) Righteous living (v. 16b)

Prayer is packed with power when these components are present. When we communicate with the Lord in the way he has prescribed, prayer has "great power as it is working."

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The Lord's Merciful Offer

Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
Isaiah 1:18, ESV

It is remarkable to me that the same God that the same God who declared unto us the transcendence of his ways and thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9) makes this offer to such a feeble minded people -- an offer to reason with us! His offer of sin-cleansing grace -- sufficiently powerful to remove any trace of iniquity -- is given when we humbly accept the offer to come and reason with him.

The Lord of heaven is a God who desires our service from unabridged minds, devoting conscience, emotion, volition, and intellect to his purposes. In so doing, we benefit our own souls while glorifying God in the process. It is, after all, "for his name's sake" that he "leads us in right paths" (Psalm 23:3).

Can you think of anything more important that accepting the Lord's merciful offer yourself? The only thing that can even compete is telling others of that same offer once you have accepted it yourself.

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Life Without The Letter "J"

For the past three days, I have been typing on my laptop computer without the use of the "j" key. The small mechanism that is pushed down when a finger strikes the "j" key is still intact, so I am able to type j's when needed (though it must be done far more deliberately).

How did I lose my "j" key, you ask? I was sitting on the couch at home doing some work on Monday evening when Louis, our 105-pound Yellow Lab decided he wanted to sit on top of me (Louis thinks he's an eight-pound lap dog). Since the laptop was resting on my lap (hence the name), one of Louis' rather large paws raked across the keyboard, taking out the "j" key in the process.

Looking on the bright side, if Louis absolutely had to take out one letter, "j" was a good choice. I have been surprised how infrequently the letter "j" is used when compared to other letters in the alphabet. Still, I got to thinking about some of the words we couldn't say or write without the use of the great letter "j."

Here are just a few to consider:



Joy
The inexpressible result of salvation in Christ

"May the God of hope fill you with all JOY and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13, ESV)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace..." (Galatians 5:22, ESV)

"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with JOYthat is inexpressible and filled with glory..." (1 Peter 1:8, ESV)


Justified
To be regarded as innocent

"Therefore, since we have been JUSTIFIED by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1, ESV)

"Since, therefore, we have now been JUSTIFIED by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God." (Romans 5:9, ESV)

"You see that a person is JUSTIFIED by works and not by faith alone." (James 2:24, ESV)


Jesus
King of kings, Lord of lords; the Son of God and Savior of mankind

"Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this JESUS whom you crucified." (Acts 2:36, ESV)

"But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely JESUS, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering." (Hebrews 2:9-10, ESV)

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, JESUS Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:1-2, ESV)



Aren't you glad we have the letter "j"?

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God's Grace As A Teacher

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ...
Titus 2:11-13, ESV

Men and women through the centuries have extolled the magnificent grace of God. Beloved old hymns and countless sermons have impressed upon the minds of multiplied millions the wonders of God's undeserved yet unreserved kindness to man. Consider the following brief points from the inspired words Paul wrote to Titus...


A. God's grace brings salvation (v. 11a).
B. God's grace has appeared to all men (v. 11b).
C. God's grace teaches six crucial concepts (v. 12-13).

1. We must renounce ungodliness (v. 12a).
2. We must renounce worldly passions (v. 12b).
3. We must live self-controlled lives (v. 12c).
4. We must live upright lives (v. 12d).
5. We must live godly lives (v. 12e).
6. Doing all the above will enable us to anticipate the return of Christ (v. 13).

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Endless Stuff

Recently while stumbling around the "information superhighway," I came across one individual's list of the strangest items ever sold on eBay. These are merely the opinions of that author, but I am in agreement...these are some strange items...and they actually sold for real money on "the Bay." So, without any further ado, I give you the strangest items ever sold on eBay:

Girlfriends: Some girls auctioned their services as 'imaginary girlfriends', who would send the winning bidder pictures of themselves and loving letters, which they could use to pretend they had a girlfriend.

Wedding dress: Nothing strange about selling a wedding dress, you might think - but this was the guy's ex-wife's wedding dress. And he modeled it, as well as writing a long screed about his ex-wife in the description.

TV part: Producers on the TV show Ally McBeal once used eBay to auction off a walk-on part on the show.

Kidney: One man tried to sell his kidney on eBay - after all, you only need one, right? Unfortunately it's illegal to buy or sell human organs. Good thinking, though.

Toenail clippings: A girl once sold her toenail clippings on eBay, one clipping from each toe. She got a $1 for the set - a low price for the years of joy they no doubt provided to the buyer.

Britney's gum: Someone picked up Britney Spears' chewed gum at a London hotel and decided it'd be a great thing to sell on eBay. Oddly enough, they were right - they got $263 for it. A Britney fan probably has it framed in their house.

Ghost: Yes, a ghost. In a jar. Well, why not? The ghost was, apparently, 'terrorising' the man who owned it, and so he decided to capture it and sell it on eBay to someone who might be able to give it a better home.

Virgin Mary sandwich: A seller offered a grilled cheese sandwich upon which the Virgin Mary had appeared to her - and the strange thing is, she genuinely seemed to believe it. This item, unbelievably, sold for $28,000. Some people just have too much money to waste, don't they?

Fighter jet: A state brokerage in Virginia sold a U.S. Navy F/A-18A Hornet jet fighter on eBay for just over a million dollars. It was, unfortunately, in pieces and so unusable, but they offered to put it back together and make it ready to fly for the low, low price of just another $9 million.

So there you have it. Pretty odd, huh? It would seem there is virtually no end to the variety of items people will sell....and, perhaps more surprisingly, BUY!

The Bible says...

When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes?
Ecclesiastes 5:11, ESV

An increase of property almost invariably brings an increase of expense. This is not to say that it is sin to own some things...even some nice things. The point within the context of the book of Ecclesiastes is to show the vanity in piling up "stuff" while turning a blind eye to the inevitable outcome of all things material.

All will be left behind...even the precious few knick-knacks we find in our possession at the end of life. Not to mention the things we just "had to have" at some point, only to be peddled for pennies on the dollar at a yard sale, or the items which now rest beneath thousands of tons of other people's "stuff they had to have" at the bottom of some landfill.

The point to draw from these thoughts and the crazy list of eBay sales above is that you and I will be wise to keep this world and its wares in proper perspective. Yes, enjoy the plastic and wooden blessings of life and be thankful for them. However, keeping proper perspective of these corruptible materials will be essential in inheriting the incorruptible possession in heaven that awaits those who love the Lord.

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"God Made You. Be Happy."

The tallest man alive in the United States lives just down I-64 from Cold Harbor. George Bell of Norfolk, Virginia stands seven feet, eight inches tall, and works as a Norfolk sheriff's deputy.


Mr. Bell is a full two inches taller than the NBA's tallest current player, Yao Ming. He wears size a size 19 shoe (which actually isn't overly large for his height!), and wears pants that measure 43 inches at the inseam.


When asked how he feels about being so tall, Mr. Bell responded, "I have no choice but to like it."


Bell, 50, credits his late great-aunt for his positive attitude: "She always told me, 'Don't feel ashamed of yourself. Stand tall. God made you. Be happy and show your pride.' "


There is wisdom contained in such an outlook. No matter how big or how small, no matter where we have come from or where we're going, regardless of the color of our skin or how many friends we have, genuinely happy and content people are such by choice. If we live long enough here on earth, we will be faced with difficult days. People will be cruel, and those we count on will let us down.


Thus, we will be well served if we remind ourselves daily that we have inherent value in the eyes of the Lord by virtue of the fact that we are created in His image (Genesis 1:26). We set ourselves up for great disappointment when we lose sight of the fact that human relationships cannot provide all we need in life. Truly, "the arm of flesh will fail you," but the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)!!


Be loyal to Him who made you, sustains you, redeems you, and loves you without measure.

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G.R.A.C.E.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people...
Titus 2:11, ESV

The grace of God Brings:

God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense


Thus, the grace of God ought to be...

...training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age...
Titus 2:12, ESV

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It's The Thought That Counts

Having trouble deciding what to get the friends and family on your gift list? Here's an idea: Animal feces?? Hey, like they say, "It's the thought that counts." Aye, but who in the world thought of this?!?!

Sure enough, as further proof you can purchase virtually anything on the internet auction giant, eBay, an organization has placed Rhino dung up for sale.

The International Rhino Foundation is auctioning seperately on four pieces of dung from endagered species of Rhino. The proceeds will help fund conservation efforts.

Each piece is dried, mounted in a clear trophy case, and labeled with the kind of rare Rhino that produced it. How fancy!

At the time of this writing, there had been 43 bid between all four......um.......items. The high bids thus far range from $510 to $560. Shipping costs $16, which makes me wonder how the ones shipping these items will respond to the question, "Does this package contain anything fragile, liquid, perishable, or potentially hazardous?"

For the record, close-up photos of the Rhino droppings were available, but I refuse to gross our loyal Food For Thought readers out with that sort of imagery.

So, if you are one who participates in the tradition of gift giving during the holiday season, what are you giving? The kids want the latest and greatest toy, the teenagers want the slimmest, coolest cell phones and mp3 players, and the adults want gadgets, cash, and stuff to lay around the house. This certainly is not intended to discourage such a tradition -- I enjoy gift giving myself.

However, when all the kids' toys have been donated to Goodwill, when the teenagers' cell phones and iPods have been replaced by ones with newer technology, when all that stuff laying around the house has been sold for unbelievably low prices at yard sales, what will be left?

Yes, when all is said and done, all that expensive "stuff" will have the same end as the Rhino dung!

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
2 Peter 3:10, NKJV

The phrase "burned up" in the New King James version could more literally be rendered, "laid bare." The English Standard Version translates that phrase with one word: "exposed." For, on that day, even that which was our pride and joy will be exposed for what it truly was: a temporary treasure.

Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness...?
2 Peter 3:11, NKJV

So amid all the gift giving this holiday season, remember to give what really counts. Your love toward your fellow man, your righteous example and counsel to your children or grandchildren, and the gift of eternal life to any who would know the gospel.

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Why You And I Need Christ

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and he life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:6, ESV


Without the WAY you cannot go.
Without the TRUTH you cannot know.
Without the LIFE you cannot grow.

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A Fourfold Folly

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Galatians 6:7-8, NKJV

The fourfold folly here is...

1. The folly of trying to deceive God
2. The folly of expecting something different from what we sow
3. The folly of sowing to the flesh and and expecting to reap of the Spirit
4. The folly of expecting more or less than we sow

God is not deceived, but I truly believe many of us are! Our actions have consequences. If we live spiritually grounded lives, the consequence is spiritual reward. If my life is dominated by fleshly pursuits, my inner man follows the same course as the outer.......it passes away (2 Corinthians 4:16).

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Procreating For Prizes!

Here is a story you may have heard about out of Russia.

A Russian region of Ulyanovsk has found a novel way to fight the nation's birth-rate crisis: It declared September 12th the "Day of Conception," and for the third year running gave couples time off from work to procreate.

The hope is for a brood of babies exactly nine months later on Russia's national day. Couples who "give birth to a patriot" during the June 12th festivities win money, cars, refrigerators, and other prizes.

Ulyanovsk, about 550 miles east of Moscow, has held similar contests since 2005. Since then, the number of competitors, and the number of babies born to them, has been on the rise.

Russia, with one-seventh of Earth's land surface, has just 141.4 million citizens, making it one of the most sparsely settled countries in the world. With a low birth rate and a high death rate, the population has been shrinking since the early 1990s.

In his state-of-the-nation address last year, President Vladimir Putin called the demographic crisis the most acute problem facing Russia and announced a broad effort to boost Russia's birth rate, including cash incentives to families that have more than one child.

Ulyanovsk Gov. Sergei Morozov has added an element of fun to the national campaign.

The 2007 grand prize went to Irina and Andrei Kartuzov, who received a UAZ-Patriot, a sport utility vehicle. Other contestants won video cameras, TVs, refrigerators and washing machines.

So, it amounts to procreating for prizes. Is there anything morally wrong here? Not so far as I can tell. One would simply hope these Russian parents will be even more interested in a proper upbringing of these children than they are in the prizes that may result. If God has blessed you with children, take this moment to remember His counsel regarding the priceless treasure that is yours:

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
Psalm 127:3-5, ESV

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Look Up!

"Give ear to my words, O LORD,

Consider my meditation.

Give heed to the voice of my cry,

My King and my God,

For to You I will pray.

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;

In the morning I will direct it to You,

And I will look up."

Psalms 5:1-3

If you want to be distressed, LOOK WITHIN.

If you want to be defeated, LOOK BACK.

If you want to be distracted, LOOK AROUND.

If you want to be dismayed, LOOK AHEAD.

If you want to be disappointed, LOOK TO MAN.

If you want to be delivered, LOOK TO CHRIST.

If you want to be delighted, LOOK UP.

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The Only Work That Lasts

Aren't you thankful for the hard working people of the world? In large cities and small towns throughout America and around the world, industrious men and women strive diligently toward effective goods and services. The word of God commends such people:

Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men.
Proverbs 22:29, ESV

One of life's greatest challenges is to balance the work tied to this world with our labor tied to the world to come. Elders, deacons, and preachers ought not be the only ones working in the vineyard of the Lord. We are all "ministers" (servants) in the kingdom of the Savior. Do you want to contribute something to eternity? Then you must involve yourself in the only work that lasts. Listen to the words of the anonymous writer:

"Teach us, O God...

If we work upon marble, it will perish.

If we rear temples, they will crumble to dust.

If we work upon brass, time will efface it.

But if we work upon the minds and hearts of men and women,

Teaching them the love of God and their fellow man,

Then, and only then, will we have contributed something to eternity."

How have you contributed to eternity?

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Don't Lose Sight Of The Positives!

Is the church of Jesus Christ facing threats from within? Certainly. Influential individuals and entire congregations have introduced doctrine and practice over the years that have sought to move what should be a body without schism (1 Corinthians 12:25) toward an organization that mirrors the concept of the church in the denominational order of things.

However, great effort must be made not to lose sight of the multitude of positive, Biblical works ongoing in the kingdom of God today. If we are not careful, we can become so "wrapped up" in keeping tabs on those weighing the church down that we overlook or even refuse to see those who are doing great things to build her up! I speak from experience.

The more brethren I meet from across our nation -- yea, across our world -- the more I am encouraged and convinced the church is strong and very active in carrying out her mission. I recently had the opportunity to attend the Polishing The Pulpit seminar in Birmingham, Alabama. I met men and women from all over our own nation, and several who are doing the Lord's work on other continents. We have an abundance of talented people who are serving the Lord and his church in mighty ways. Let us remember to unceasingly pray for the church around the world, and to be active supporters of as many workers for the truth as possible.

Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.
3 John 5-8

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Better Buckle Up!!

A seat belt saved a driver, but not in the usual way. Steven Earp, a 48-year-old Eugene, Oregon man, was eating a fast-food sandwich Wednesday morning. Earp choked and blacked out. His 1997 Honda sedan hit a parked car.

After the wreck, Earp came to. Earp's revival was attributed to a "seat-belt-induced Heimlich maneuver." Witnesses told police Earp got out of his car, and they asked if he was okay.

"No, I'm not," he said, and collapsed again.

Paramedics revived him and took him to the hospital, where doctors determined he hadn't been injured.

Mr. Earp's life was spared because he was obeying the law. Now, a breakfast sandwich normally has nothing to do with a seat belt; but in this case, Earp and his loved ones must surely be glad it did.

Granted, there is not much of a connection here, but this story made me think of these words...

And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.
1 Kings 3:14, ESV

These words from the book of First Kings were the Lord's counsel to Solomon as he was in the early days of his kingship in Israel. Solomon himself echoed these words many times over in the book of Proverbs. One example of such is...

The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.
Proverbs 10:27, ESV

Like most proverbs, this conveys a statement that is generally true. Certainly, there are exceptions, but more often than not, "hard living" shows.

So, take a lesson from Steven Earp of Eugene, Oregon. It pays to do right!

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What Would You Do For $647?

One family in Menomonie, Wisconsin had their wills and stomachs put to the test recently. Take a look at this story from the Associated Press:

Debbie Hulleman's dog Pepper has been known to gnaw on lipstick, munch on shampoo bottles and chew on toothpaste. But Pepper got Hulleman into a real mess after gobbling nearly $750.

"This is probably the worst," Hulleman said Thursday, recalling how she poked through vomit and dog piles left in the yard to recover the cash.

Hulleman had asked her mother in Oakdale, Minn., to take care of Pepper and Zach, the family's other dog last month while she and husband went on vacation.

Pepper, an 8-year-old black Labrador-German shorthair, got into a purse belonging to her mother's friend and chewed the cash from an envelope.

Hulleman's mother recovered some of the money that Pepper spit out, thinking she had it all. But when Hulleman returned from the trip and went to clean up her dogs' mess outside, she noticed a $50 bill hanging from one pile.

The chore of sorting through dog feces netted about $400, the 50-year-old dog lover said. Between that and other bills that Pepper had either vomited or simply chewed on, the family recovered $647.

The family swapped the soiled money for fresh currency at a bank.

"It wasn't that bad. I soaked it and strained it and rinsed it. I just kept rinsing it and rinsing it. I had rubber gloves on of course," Hulleman said.

"Everyone said, 'I can't believe you did that.' Well, for $400, yeah, I would do that," she said.

So, would you do what the Hulleman family did for $647? That sure is a lot of money, but that sure is a gut-turning method of recovery!

I wonder how many would go through that process to retrieve a few hundred bucks, yet will not accept God's kind and loving offer of salvation by grace through faith. We are wholly unable to redeem ourselves from the grip of Satan and into the loving embrace of the Savior.

Thankfully, if we will submit ourselves as loving children and obey the gospel, calling on his name through obedience to His will (see Acts 22:16), we will be saved! Furthermore, if we will remain devoted and faithful throughout our time on this earth, He will give us "the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10).

Jesus challenged the world thus: "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?" (Matthew 16:26, ESV)

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The Unchanging Jesus

The Bible says...

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
Hebrews 13:8, ESV

The book of Hebrews portrays the majestic Christ in the past, present, and future tenses:

1. Past -- Yesterday -- lower than the angels for a while (Hebrews 2:7a)


2. Present -- Today -- crowned with glory and honor; all things in subjection to Him (Hebrews 2:7b, 8a)


3. Future -- Forever -- all things under his feet (Hebrews 2:8b)

Aren't you thankful we have the opportunity to serve a God who is faithful instead of fickle? His character, plans, and blessings are invariably right, just, full of love, and full of mercy. He is worthy of our praise and adoration -- our utmost devotion and service. This day, tell someone who needs to know.

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