Why should I Read Sacred Sciptures?

An old farmer lived on his farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning he got up early, sat at the kitchen table, and read the Torah. His grandson wanted to be just like his grandfather, so tried to emulate him in every way he could.

One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa, I try to read the writings just like you do, but I don’t understand most of it, and whatever I do understand I forget as soon as I close it. So what good is it doing me to read this old book?”

The grandfather, who was putting coal on the fire, quietly turned and said, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.”

The boy did as he was told, but the water leaked out before he could get the basket home.

The grandfather laughed and said, “You’ll have to move a little faster next time,” and he sent the boy back to the river to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket emptied before he was able to return home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get the bucket. But the old man said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough.” He stepped out the door to watch the boy try for the third time.

At this point the boy knew what he was trying to accomplish was impossible, so he decided to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house.

The boy dipped the basket into river and ran as hard as he could. When he reached his grandfather the basket was empty. He gasped, “See grandpa? It’s useless!”

“So you think it is useless?” the old man asked. “Then look at the basket.” The boy looked and saw for the first time that the basket was different. It had been washed clean of the dirty coal stains and was now clean inside and out.

“Grandson, that’s what happens when you read the Torah. You might not understand or remember everything you read, but the words will change you inside and out. That is the work of God's Word in our lives.”

- Original Author Unknown

I'm exhausted!!

I don’t know about you but I feel exhausted.  I overheard some folks say it was Spring Break but I missed the ‘break’ part and my dash thermometer this morning said 39 degrees!!  

Actually, I got some time off last week for the break and even went camping with the fam.  But since Matt stole that for his post I’ll just direct you there for the fun camping story and move on to why I’m so tired. 

I actually looked up the word while writing this… “Exhausted: Drained of one’s physical or mental resources; very tired; completely used up.”  Did you catch it?  ‘Drained of one’s physical or mental resources.’  That’s me in a nutshell this week.  I’m drained, tired, used up… EXHAUSTED!!   But it’s not because I worked over the break, spent time with my family or even because I haven’t slept well lately.  I’m shattered over our country!!  Before you re-post this (or flag me) for politicizing some stance, you might want to read the rest.  I’m sad for the people… all of us!! 

I’m really not even talking about gun rights, gay rights or even horse rights (which I saw a post about yesterday, right in the middle of the equal rights debate on Facebook).  What’s frightening is that there were more than a half dozen articles this week covering events going on that challenge religious freedom, conservative morality and mock virtue.  Currently I’m in dialogue with several self proclaimed atheists that want to discuss (enemies argue friends discuss) everything from pro-life to the stupidity of believing a religious system that was “made up by rich rulers to control the poor” (or the “fallacy of an inerrant Bible”).  Top that off with a new generation (teens & young adults) that is “fleeing” the church.  All this adds up to make for an exhausted Family Pastor of High School!!

So what’s the good news?  

You mean you don’t know?  

We are actually celebrating just that, this Sunday (join us)!!  

But just in case, let me break it down for you simply:

1) God is very much in love with you (EVERYONE)!! Zephaniah 3:17

2) God was so in love, He sent His son!! John 3:16

3) His Son: Jesus, died, was buried, and rose again!! 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

4) All who humble themselves by committing 100% devotion to Him, will be saved!!Galatians 2:20

A friend of mine one time was on a vacation and while sitting out one down reading his Bible a lady walked by and said: “We win”.  My friend said, “Excuse me”.  The lady turned around and said: “The Bible, those that put their trust in Him win”.

Brothers and Sisters… We Win!! 

Join me TODAY in spreading the victory in love (let God sort out the rest)!!   

My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.

My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!

This is how we know we’re living steadily and deeply in him, and he in us: He’s given us life from his life, from his very own Spirit. Also, we’ve seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.

God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.  We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.

If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.

1 John 4:7-21

May this truth calm your spirit, like it did mine... May our families get the best of us because we believe that He is coming again... May our neighbors flock to our friendship because of the love we share... And may our kids be led by our example!!