Sermonettes

Morning Meditations from the Bible

Each new day is an unknown. Opportunity may knock or repetitive tedium may rule the day. It can be a disaster or a blessing. Simple tragedy may strike; a lunch is left at home, a notebook misplaced or heaven forbid, your smart phone was dropped and fails to work.

On a larger scale, you might miss a very important meeting, or just as likely, you get stuck in a long, meaningless, boring meeting. Then there is the project you are working on and its way behind schedule. The boss is on your back and your immediate future is in jeopardy. Even worse yet, you may have an appointment with a doctor and are told that an ugly illness has invaded your body and suddenly everything is on hold or even in doubt.

------- Wait ----- Pause A Second ------- Backup and Start Again ---

How about beginning your day with an uplifting positive personal message from our Lord. Just a few seconds, no more than a minute set aside to start the day right. I suggest that you take the attached list of loving Bible verses, (or substitute your favorites), laminate the sheet and place in a location you will see each morning. Use a paper clip or other appropriate devise that you can slide down the edge of the sheet to the next passage after you read the current passage for the morning. I have included eight favorite verses/passages, each about God and Christ’s love for us all. This way if you read one passage a day and start back at the top after cycling through the list, then you will not read the same passage next Monday that you read this Monday.

Make this your morning ritual and start your day with the love of our Lord and Savior active and thriving in your heart and soul.

1. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (King James Bible)

2. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (King James Bible)

3. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me –Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10: 14-15 (New International Version, Archaeological Study Bible)

4. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down into green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 (King James Bible)

5. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these, I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Mark 10: 14-15 (New International Version, Archaeological Study Bible)

6. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15: 1-2 (New International Version, Archaeological Study Bible)

7. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6: 5 (New International Version, Archaeological Study Bible)

8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:8 (The New King James Version, Scofield Study Bible)

God Bless. PO

Website: poforjc.com

Truth Out of Favor

In the wonderfully written book “First Light” by Bodie and Brock Thoene and set in old Jerusalem in the days Jesus walked this earth, the old shepherd Zadok makes the following profound statement “Most of the darkness in this world is due to truth being out of favor.”

Consider his simply put words for a moment. “Most of the darkness in this world is due to truth being out of favor.”

Things that were considered wrong or taboo a generation ago, a mere instant in the span of eternity, are promoted as mainstream today.

Homosexual relations are glorified on television, in other media and even appear to be promoted by government.

Abortion is considered a woman’s right without regard for a developing child’s right to live.

For the first time in history, more children are born to unwed mothers than to

a married husband and wife.

Soldiers struck down by a Muslim terrorist on an American military base are said by the government to be the victims of work place violence rather than victims of a terrorist act.

Political correctness is drowning society.

“Most of the darkness in this world is due to truth being out of favor.” Indeed!

These realities of our day being said, it is not our right to judge a man’s soul. Jesus says, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6: 37.

St. Paul in his letter to the Romans, chapter 3, verses 23 to 24, adds these words “. . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

There is truth in the present day saying, “Love the sinner, hate the sin.” As follows of Jesus we are called to love everyone and to encourage all to seek the truth that is our Lord Jesus Christ.

May God bless and strengthen you in your daily walk with Him and encourage you in your service to and discourse with those whom you encounter along the way.

The Saddest Words Ever Spoken

The saddest words ever to be spoken in the course of human history are: “I don’t know you.” Luke 13:23. Yet to be spoken in finality, the implication of their meaning is the ultimate sadness. And do not be mislead, they will be spoken.

Jesus says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.” Matthew 7: 13-14.

According to the words of Jesus, millions of people who do not accept Him as their Lord and Savior will be sentenced to the eternal abyss. Nothing is sadder than to have had the opportunity to embrace Christ during one’s lifetime and not to have done so. Jesus’s own words indicate that many believe that if they have lived a “good life” and have acknowledged Him in “the seasons” and grudgingly or not the rest of the year, think they will go to heaven. But not so!

It is right to seek to be a person of good moral character and do good deeds, but “works alone” will not bring salvation. God asks each individual to do one thing. Accept his Son as their Lord and Savior.

Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except

through me.” John 14:6.

If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, do it now before your opportunity is gone. Open your heart, and ask Jesus to come into your life. Tell Him you know you are a sinner and need the cleansing that only His blood can bring. Tell Him that you want and accept Him as your Lord and Savior.

All things considered, the sweetest words ever to be spoken are: “ Well Done, good and faithful servant . . . . come and share your Master’s happiness.” Matthew 25:21.

God bless, Po sent out: September 2013

In God’s Time

Have you ever noticed how unbelievers try to put Christians and God inside a closed box? When you consider their often venomous attitudes, it’s really the non-believers that are the closed minded ones. They often “quote” some statement they attribute to the Bible, without knowing meaning or context. “All you Christians believe that God created the world just a few thousand years ago; in seven days no less!” Non-believers always try to make God fit human experience and by their reasoning show how absurd the existence of God is.

Consider this, God put his Son on earth to live a human life. Why? “For God so loved the
world….” John 3:16. Because of his love for his creation, mankind, God placed his Son among us. Not for his benefit, but for man’s benefit. So then because Jesus lived an earthly life, does

that make God’s time the same as human time?

In 2 Peter 3:8, the apostle tells us to “… not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” In that one statement, Peter dismissed for all time, the premise that human time is the same as God’s time. Further, we know thatGod is and always has been. Genesis 1:1 says “In the beginning God …” and in Isaiah 26:4 we read “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.”

In addition, consider non-believers’ commitment to evolution as taught in our public schools. If accepted as fact, one believes that life as we know it, is the result of millions and billions of
random chemical and biological accidents. Such belief by necessity requires one to accept that not one single such event occurred which would have stopped the process. If so, we wouldn’t be here today. Many might consider these statements too simplistic for such a complex issue. But are they? The true issue is not the complexity and diversity of the occurrences; rather, one of cause and effect. Is it not more practical to recognize that such complex developments over countless ‘human years’ are the result of intelligent design?

It is normal to question the very existence of God. It is difficult for human minds, limited to human knowledge and experience, to fathom the true nature and Glory of God. It is enough that we know God exists and that he loves us. Always remember all of John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

May the Lord bless you and guide you in the way that leads to life eternal.

PO sent out: August, 2011

Our World Is Changing

Watching the institutions we were all taught to trust and believe in change in “the blink of an eye” has been a frightening experience for many people.

Just a few short years ago we all ‘knew’ that if we put money in the bank, added to it when we could; but essentially left it alone, it would grow and provide a financial safety net in times of need. Just a few short years ago we all ‘knew’ that if one invested wisely in the stock market, that over time the investment would grow and provide income for later in life.

No more do these ‘known truths’ feel secure. Today if one leaves their money in the bank in an interest bearing account the money will grow at a paltry one or two percent. Considering real
inflation at well over five percent, money left in a bank actually loses value in terms of purchasing power.

As to the stock market, more and more, it is referred to as a gambler’s game. Fewer and fewer people view it as the way to preserve and grow a life’s savings.

Now consider an article that appeared in a mid-August (2012) edition of the primary newspaper in a large Texas city. In this article the CEO of one of the largest regional banks in the country warned of the potential of a complete catastrophic failure of American banking and financial systems.

There is real cause for concern and fear. Where will we be tomorrow? What do we do?
Where do we turn for security?

With so much uncertainty, it is essential that each of us has standards to guide our lives and actions. May it be that you……

Seek truth in all things.

Stay strong in your beliefs.

Act with integrity.

Serve where service is needed.

Know what is in your heart and keep it true.

“…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15.

God Bless. PO sent out: June, 2012

Really?

Abortion isn’t a church issue.

Really?

Abortion isn’t a concern of God.

Interesting that God’s first commandment to man was “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it.” Genesis 1:28.

Interesting that when God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary, she was told, “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.” Luke 1:30. Gabriel did not tell Mary, You will be with fetus. Gabriel said, “You will be with child..”

Later, during Mary’s pregnancy, she left her home in Nazareth and traveled to visit her cousin Elizabeth who also was pregnant. Interesting that when Elizabeth saw Mary approaching at a distance, “the baby leaped in her womb.” Luke 1:41. The scripture does not say that the
‘fetus’ leaped in her womb. It says “the baby leaped in her womb.”

To call an infant in the womb a fetus is meant to dehumanize it. Further, defining a fetus as nothing more than a mass of cell tissue and not as a human was a plan ‘conceived’ to make the
child’s death seem an insignificant event . In truth, however, humankind degrades itself by passing off an infant in the womb as nothing more than tissue. What a vile concept.

Since the beginning of time, God has been in the life, mind, body and soul business. To suggest other is to make oneself more important than God.

We would be wise to remember the words of Jesus “For wide is the gate and broad is the road
that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:14.

May God bless all children and infants born and unborn.

PO sent out: June, 2012

A Prayer For This Time

Have you ever been in a restaurant when you notice a family quietly blessing their meal? Or do you remember a time when you returned to work after lunch and noticed a colleague silently reading a Bible as he finishes his lunch hour? A reverent, respectful outward display of our faith is something Christ has directed all of his followers to practice.

Jesus says, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good
deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5: 14-16.

As we enter 2012, we remember that this is a year forecast by ancients such as the Mayan people and the writer Nostradamus, as a pivotal, potential apocalyptic time. Events reported daily on our world stage mirror these pagan and secular prophets and seem to point toward rapidly advancing dynamic change and upheaval. May it be that we who follow the Lord Jesus Christ take the lead and make this a year of great revival. Let your prayer be that our Father grant you the faith and strength to be His light in a rapidly darkening world.

Sent out: January, 2012

‘The Perfect Garden’

Ben and Sue had cherished the idea of a large vegetable garden for years. The couple had lived on a small ranch they purchased when they married and had plenty of available space.

As most know, a productive garden requires deep, rich soil. A minimum of eight hours of direct sunlight is preferred. It is also best on fairly level ground. This allows water to percolate into the soil fostering sound root development.

Unfortunately, no site on the ranch had the right combination of desired characteristics. Ben and Sue’s property was extremely hilly. As a result of the steep grades and natural erosion, most of the ranch had less than one inch of topsoil. To further compound these problems, the natural subgrade was a chalky, mineral poor limestone material locally known as caliche.

After an extended period of thought and planning, Ben and Sue decided that they would have to build up a level topsoil bed to create their ideal garden. Consequently they selected an open area where the natural cross-slope fell about one foot every fifteen feet. On the downhill side of the plot, they constructed a 30 to 36 inch high retaining wall using manufactured masonry stacking blocks purchased from a local home improvement store. Then using a rented Bobcat, they dug out and removed most of the caliche on the uphill side of the wall creating an open bowl about 30 feet wide and 70 feet long.

Their plan had always been, ‘if we build it, we build it right.” With that in mind, they had 6 twelve yard truckloads of loam and sandy loam topsoil brought to the ranch. Using the Bobcat, they mixed the soils with 120 bags of hardwood mulch, 20 bales of peat moss and 5 cubic yards of processed cow manure. This made a soil mix rich in natural organics. Once again, using the Bobcat, they placed the mixed soils in the bowl behind the retaining wall. Then they raked and leveled the entire garden bed. Finally, after months of careful planning and work, their perfect garden plot was ready to be planted.

Rows were thoughtfully laid out. Small trenches were dug and seeds for corn, green beans, radishes, squash, cantaloupe, and other melons were sown and watered in. Within days, small plants emerged and filled the carefully set trenches.

It was just after this time that the unexpected occurred. When the little plants reached an inch or two in height, they appeared to stop growing. Ben was frustrated. After a few more days passed with little growth evident, he began to search for answers to what was wrong. He dug into gardening books and articles. Then, after a few fruitless days, he recalled a presentation he had listened to several years earlier which focused on Living Soils.

According to the lecturer, for a soil to actively promote growth through nutrient absorption, water movement and aeration, a host of beneficial microbes need be present. Ben and Sue had created and mixed the perfect soil bed, but the natural microbes were in active or present in such limited quantities that they were ineffective.

In the notes Ben had written down, the lecturer described a method of creating mulch tea. For Ben and Sue, this process involved collecting two full 5 gallon buckets of rotting wood and leaf mold from beneath a grove of large native red oaks. They placed the gathered material in the bottom of a 50 gallon garbage can. Then they filled the remainder with water and stirred the mix thoroughly. They let the tea set for two hours. Next, using gallon jugs, they spread the tea over the entire garden and applied additional water to move the tea down into the soil. Almost overnight, the little plants took off. Over the following weeks and months, Ben and Sue’s work was rewarded with a bounty of plump, tasty vegetables.

Looking back some months later, Ben recalled that all their planning and hard work almost came to naught. Their perfect garden, although ideally constructed, was nothing but an unproductive plot of land until it became a Living Soil. In Ben’s words, the soil took on a Living Spirit.

Our modern world lives are a lot like Ben and Sue’s perfect garden. We use extraordinary individual purchasing power unlike anything known in history to fill our personal world with fashions and gadgets. All selected from an almost limitless variety of ever changing technological wonders. For a while, our expectations may be met and we feel secure and fulfilled. Yet, like the garden, without a Living Spirit, we are an incomplete soil, merely flesh and bone destined to death. We each require a Nurturing Spirit in order to attain true peace and fulfillment.

In his most well-known passage, John (3:16) says “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Do you know His Son, Jesus Christ? Jesus knows you and he wants you for His own. Let Him be the Living Spirit thatcompletes your life.

Right now, for either the first time or as a renewal of your life commitment, accept Jesus into your heart. It’s simple. All you have to do is believe and pray this short prayer.

Dear Father and Jesus. I need and want you in my life. Jesus, I know that you are Lord of all. I give my life to you. Accept me as I am. Forgive me for my sins and lead me in your pathways all the days of my life. Amen.

If you believe and prayed this prayer with your heart, you are now and will always be one of his children.

God bless and keep you.