A Talk with a Friend

Earlier this week, we spent some time with close friends. During the course of our visit, we talked about the books we had recently read (or were in the process of still reading). I mentioned a devotional by Sam Storms (a gifted pastor and author). I shared an insight from Storm's book, More Precious Than Gold: 50 Meditations on Psalms. It's an insight that I am still gnawing on (or better said is still gnawing on me!). Storm writes,

"Every commandment in Scripture, every precept, every principle, every prohibition is lovingly designed to lead us away from what otherwise might spoil our appetite for God."

Wow! What a gift God has given us in His Word!

Have a great rest of the week!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

It's Vacation Time!

I will be enjoying a vacation starting today and running through the July 4th holiday. That means that I will not be posting to my blog as I usually do. As I go, I leave you with a quote of Augustine of Hippo (in North Africa). Augustine was a bishop in the 4th-5th century church. His writings were quite influential in the development of Christian thought and theology. This quote of his is one of my favorites:

"Christ is not valued at all unless he be valued above all."

Ouch! Thanks, Augustine for hitting me right in my spiritual gut!

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

Some Friday Morning Humor.

This week has been a very busy, tiring but fruitful and satisfying week. Perhaps you have had a stressful week ... if so, here is a bit of humor to bring a smile to your face. Enjoy!

The following was published in a 1917 leaflet by the USDA. 

Now I know why my mom always wanted me to eat my vegetables!  She didn't want a plugged up stupid kid running around the house!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

Thursday A La Carte

Enjoy today's a la carte offerings!

1. Pornography is a problem in our society today, and I don't just mean "out there!" Many Christian men (and some women) struggle with the lure of porn. How does one overcome the temptation of porn? Can it be overcome? Brian Croft on his practical shepherding blog offers some great insights on how men and women find true lasting victory over pornography.

2. Does theology really matter? Here is a video (2:10) promoting a book by Josh Harris, Dug Down Deep. Bottom line - theology matters more than we think!

3.When someone is hurting, we often like to try to encourage them with Scripture. Do you know what the number one mistake people make when using the Scripture to give advice? Here is a great video (2:50) from the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation that answers this crucial question.

4. Hmm. Here's a rather unique way to get the message across to us Christians that we should have no excuse for not sharing our faith. The video is called, The Evangelism Linebacker (3:56).

5.On a lighter note ... Brian Regan in a Coke ad .... go Brian!

Thanks for stopping by .  . .

From Rags to Riches!

David Lundberg said he found Max Melitzer pushing a shopping cart this past Saturday in Salt Lake City. What makes this newsworthy (many of us push shopping carts at least weekly if not more often!) is that the shopping cart Max was pushing was full of all his worldly possessions, AND he was nowhere near a store. You can probably guess at this point, Max Melitzer is homeless. Has been for a number of years. And all he was doing on Saturday was doing what he did every day ... just moving his "house" around town.

Thanks to the efforts of Lundberg, Melitzer will be able to say goodbye to his cart. Lunderberg is a private investigator who was hired by a New York City law firm to find Max. Max's brother had died and left a "significant" amount of money to his brother. When asked by news reporters how much money Max would be receiving, Lundberg declined to give an amount. But he did indicate it was more than enough to restore Melitzer to a comfortable lifestyle. How did Max receive the news? According to Lunderberg, "He's in shock."

All of us who follow Jesus Christ are somewhat like Melitzer. We are wandering around this world as strangers on this earth. We are in all reality, "homeless!" (Hebrews 11:13-16)  Yet all of us will one day inherit great wealth -- riches far more satisfying than what our world can offer us now (Matthew 6:19-21; 1 Peter 1:3-4). Yet this world has its attractions ... and we pursue it's offerings, in spite of God's warnings against doing so (1 John 2:15-17).  All of us could stand to reflect on the following words of Jim Elliot, a missionary who died for his faith in Christ at the hands of the people he was trying to reach.

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

It's Vacation Bible School Week!!!

Yesterday was our first of five days of Vacation Bible School here at Grace. And what a day it was! 195 kids showed up! We were thrilled (and a bit apprehensive). But all went well and we are looking forward to Day #2 today!

Given the busy week before me (I am playing the role of Justin Time, the bus driver for Main Street. We do a skit at each opening and closing), I may not be able to blog quite so much as usual. But I am going to make an effort to do some.

What excites me most about our VBS is that during the week, we have a great opportunity to introduce these little ones to Jesus Christ. We know that children have a very special place in the heart of Jesus. When parents were bringing their children to Jesus, seeking a blessing from him, the disciples tried to send them away. In their minds, the Master had far more important things to do than to bless a bunch of kids. But when Jesus saw what his disciples were doing, he grew angry with them and said, “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). He then took the children in his arms and blessed them. 


That incident occurred some 200 years ago. And that same Jesus who rose from the dead and ascended to heaven - still desires to take the little children in his arms and bless them. It is up to us to share the gospel with these children so they can experience his blessing. 


When I was 11 years old, I attended a VBS in the city of Harrisburg. This was my first and only VBS experience as a child. But what an experience it was! There, for the first time in my life, I heard the good news of John 3:16. Even though I did not come to faith at that time, it did prove to be an important step toward my conversion at age 16. And so ... I guess you can see why I am a HUGE fan of VBS!

Thanks for stopping by . . . 


pj

A Thought from C.S. Lewis to Begin Your Week

C.S. Lewis had so many good things to say, and he had a way of saying them in such a way that causes us to stop in our tracks and think about what he just said. Here's one of his quotes that really got me thinking. I hope it gets your mind (and heart) in gear as well. I hope you have a great week!

"If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world."  (C.S. Lewis)

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj