MOVING TO A NEW HOME

     It seems like people are moving all the time but how often does church life become an important part of a move. Hebrews 10:25a says Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do... (TLB) For a new family moving to Pupperville church life is very important.

     It had been a long drive for Tracy McDonald and like most kids, she just couldn’t resist asking her dad John how much longer. You see, Tracy and her dad were farmers and the land they had been farming since who knows when was no longer available for them. The owner of the land decide it was time he farmed it himself and he told John and Tracy they had to move.

     “If all goes well, we should be there before long.” John answered. “Good,” Tracy responded, “This trip is getting boring, and I’m starting to get a little ‘down’ in my mouth from sleeping with all the birds.” “Well,” John replied, “Maybe I’ll let you ‘duck’ out of sleeping with the birds tonight.” “Very ‘punny’ Dad.” Tracy said with a laugh, “You really ‘quack’ me up.” “Well,” John replied, “I really know my birds, and I never ‘fowl’ up.”

     A little later as Tracy woke up from a nap she decided to ask her dad a question that had been nagging her. “Why are we moving to Pupperville?” she asked, “Why didn’t we move to Poptown, or Stageville? They were a lot closer, and we know people there. In Pupperville we don’t know anyone. I’ll have to make all new friends, and go to a new school...” “And go to a new church.”John finished.

     “Huh?” Tracy questioned, “What does church have to do with are move, I thought we were farmers?” “A lot.” John replied. “While it is true that Poptown and Stageville were a lot closer, neither of them had a good church. When I was looking for a new place I wanted to make sure they had a good Bible believing church, as well as some good farming land. Pupperville had both. I talked to the preacher there and asked him a lot of questions before making my decision.”

     “But I’m not going to know anyone there.” Tracy complained. “What if they don’t have any kids there my age?” “But they do.” John reassured her. “In fact they there’s one now.” “Dad!” Tracy yelled “He’s running on to the road. We’re going to hit him!” John quickly hit the breaks and skidded to a stop, but it was too late.

     A few minutes later the sound of an ambulance could be heard as a boy lay in the road. John was all shaken up by the accident and Tracy started crying. “Is he alive?” Tracy asked, “Is our new home going to be a jail?”

      Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near. 

Hebrews 10:25 (TLB)

     In an article for On Mission Magazine, Dianne Butts, gave the top ten reasons she's heard why people skip church. Here's what she wrote,

• 10. I've been thinking I'd like to go to church. But I don't know anyone. And I don't know what to do, where to go, what to expect when I get there.
• 9. I don't believe in God. Christians are dangerous fanatics, politically unpopular and always trying to shove their beliefs on others.
• 8. There are so many denominations… even Christians can't agree among themselves what the Bible means.
• 7. There are so many churches… I don't know which one to go to. Why should I come to yours.
• 6. Church is for "good" people who haven't messed up. You don't know where I've been or what I've done.
• 5. Church is not important.
• 4. I don't need to go to church. I can worship God, even when I'm fishing.
• 3. I don't have nice clothes to wear to church.
• 2. I don't have time. Sunday morning is the only day I can sleep late.
• 1. People in churches are hypocrites.

(ON Mission, July/Aug 2001, p. 46-48 - Fresh Illustrations)

     How important is "Church" in your life? Do you make it a point to gather, to you take joy in attending?

• I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” - Psalms 122:1 (NLT)
• One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship, beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches. I'd rather scrub floors in the house of my God than be honored as a guest in the palace of sin. - Psalms 84:10 (MSG)

     Does it matter what is being taught? Does it matter if the church really believes and teaches God's Word?

• I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. - 2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NAS)
• Jesus answered, “Isaiah was right when he spoke about you hypocrites. He wrote, ’These people show honor to me with words, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless. The things they teach are nothing but human rules.’ You have stopped following the commands of God, and you follow only human teachings.“ Mark 7:6-8 (NCV)

     Here's Something to Ponder

• Do you take Joy in going to church?
• Does it matter to you where you are going?

SHINING LIKE A LIGHT HOUSE

You are the light of the world. - Matthew 5:14a

     Robert Gray was finding that chasing after Harold was hard work and left him a little short on breath. “I guess I’m just not as young as I used to be,” he mumbled to himself as he went to sit down at the picnic table in the Peterson’s back yard and then Bill scared him half to death when he asked him how he was doing.

     “I’d be doing a lot better if it weren’t for you and your son.” Robert said, “An old man isn’t meant to run that hard or have someone sneak up on them.” “I didn’t sneak up on you,” said Bill “I was already here when you sat down.” “Oh,” replied Robert as he closed his eyes for a quick nap.

      A few minutes later Bill looked up from his Bible and asked Robert a question and when he did he scared him again. “Would you quit doing that!” Robert yelled back. “Sorry,” Bill said “I was just going to ask you about the light house story for my Sunday School Lesson I’m working on. You know, the one about George Vinson.”

     “George Vinson! My old high school Buddy.” Robert said with a smile. “I remember him. When we graduated he got a job working for a Mr. Randall at a light house on a small island of the coast of Maine. Three years after he started working there, Mr. Randall died leaving him there to run the light house all by himself. The only company he would have was an occasional visitor, and the coast guard every three weeks to drop off supplies. Many times I tried to talk him into moving back here with us, but he just wouldn’t do it. He seemed to have so little in his life, yet when ever asked about it he would simply reply, No not since I saved my first life.”

     “That’s the story I’m looking for,” Bill said, “I want to tie that to Matthew 15:16 where Jesus said ‘Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.’”(NASB) “That’s a good idea, Robert said, “Maybe you could use it too teach Harold a thing or two.”

     “Speaking of Harold,” Bill started to ask, “Why were you chasing him?” “I can answer that.” replied Martha, who had walked up behind them. “I believe he was trying to scare Stella, but he got me instead. Do you think you can take care of him?” “I think I might know where he is,” Bill said, “He must have forgot Stella was out of town.” “Good luck,” Martha said as he headed off into the woods.

     “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16 (HCSB)

     Can you imagine being a light house? Many a light house has been built to guide ships in the dark through dangerous waters to safety. Light houses are built to be seen and so.....

• Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, - Philippians 2:14-15 (ESV)
• For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), - Ephesians 5:8-9 (ESV)

      Light houses shine extremely bright but what would it be like if the light bulb in a light house was replaced with a black light......

• “No one lights a lamp and puts it in the cellar or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see its light. Your eye is the lamp of the body. When your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light. But when it is bad, your body is also full of darkness. Take care then, that the light in you is not darkness. If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, the whole body will be full of light, as when a lamp shines its light on you.” - Luke 11:33-36 (HCSB)

     I found this neat illustration in Preaching the Word - A man returning from a journey brought his wife a matchbox that would glow in the dark. After he gave it to her, she turned out the light, but it could not be seen. Both thought they had been cheated. Then the wife noticed some French words on the box and asked a friend to translate them. The inscription said: "If you want me to shine in the night, keep me in the light." So it is with us! We must expose ourselves to Jesus, delight in his Word, and spend time in prayer soaking up his rays.

• Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." - John 8:12 (NAS)
• "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." - John 12:32 (NAS)

     Can you imagine a ships crew trying to put out the light so they can sail in the dark? The world may want to reject the light that Christians are to bring yet we need to shine

• "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. - John 3:19 (NAS)

      Here's Something to Ponder

• Are you filled with the light of God
• Are you shining the light of God to the world

OOPS!

Whoever digs a pit for others will fall into it - Proverbs 26:27a (NCV)

      Harold was up to no good again and this time he had conned his friend Louie Blackwood into helping him with his mischievous deed. He almost got caught while talking to his Grandpa but he took off running into the woods where they finally lost him. “That was close,” Louie told Harold as they stopped to catch their breath.

     “I got the reflectors off of my sister’s bike but all my flash lights had dead batteries,” Harold said, “Were you able to get a flashlight?” “I was able to find a small one,” Louie responded, “But the batteries are new and it’s very bright. By the way, what are we going to do with the flashlight and reflectors?”

     “We are going to scare Stella.” Harold said with a grin. “How are we going to do that?” Louie asked. “By making her think we are some where else when we’re not really there.” answered Harold but his answer only confused Louie. So he had to explain it some more. “When it gets dark,” he said, “And Stella comes walking down this path on her way home, we will shine a flashlight at the reflectors. Stella will think we are where the reflectors are, then we will jump out from behind her and scare her.”

     After hearing that Louie thought it was going to be fun to hear Stella scream. The two of them than went to work putting the reflectors on different trees so they would be ready when Stella came walking home. After a while Harold noticed it was starting to get dark so he told Louie it was time to hide.

     No sooner had they hid when someone came walking down the path. It looked like everything was going according to Harold’s plan. They shined the light at the reflectors and when the timing was right they jumped and said BOO! As loud as they could and did Stella ever SCREAM! But there was a problem.

     “Harold,” Louie called out, “That’s not Stella. It sounds like your Mom.” Just than Martha hollered out Harold’s name. “It is my mom!” Harold said, “Let’s get out of here.” As they took of on the run they could here Harold’s Mom saying they were in big trouble and she was going to go get Harold’s Dad.

     Harold made plans to scare his sister but something went wrong. Instead of scaring his sister he scared his Mom. His plan failed and his mischievous deed got him in trouble. We need to be careful of what we plan to do for our evil plans can bring trouble to us. Turn to the story of Daniel and the Satraps.

      Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. Then these men said, "We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God." Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: "King Darius, live forever! "All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions' den. "Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked." Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction .....^..The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions' den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. - Daniel 6:4-9,24 (NAS)

     If you want to read the rest of the story - the part before and in between you can find it in Daniel 6. What happened to the Satraps, what happened to Harold, can easily happen to us.

     Words of Warning

• If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow. He will prepare his deadly weapons and shoot his flaming arrows. The wicked conceive evil; they are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies. They dig a deep pit to trap others, then fall into it themselves. The trouble they make for others backfires on them. The violence they plan falls on their own heads. - Psalms 7:12-16 (NLT)
• Whoever digs a pit for others will fall into it. Whoever tries to roll a boulder down on others will be crushed by it. - Proverbs 26:27 (NCV)
• He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. - Ecclesiastes 10:8 (NAS)

     Here's some good advice for keeping out of trouble - Proverbs 4:25-27 (NLT)

• Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
• Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path.
• Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.

     Here's Something to Ponder

• Are you taking careful thought of what you plan
  • Is it for good or for evil
  • Will you be sorry
  • Will God be pleased

THE CHURCH BIRD

Thomas said* to Him, "Lord, ... how do we know the way?" - John 14:5 (NAS)

      Do you have a bird feeder in your yard? Do you like to watch the birds that come there to eat? Robert Grey has one in his backyard that he like to sit and watch and that made for an interesting conversation one day when Harold happened to stop by.

      “Hi Grandpa. What are you doing?” Harold asked Robert as he sat in his deck chair staring at his back yard. “Oh, nothing much” was Robert’s response, “Just watching the birds. At the moment there’s one over there.” “Where?” asked Harold. “Over there on my bird feeder and it’s a really pretty bird,” Robert told him.

      “Oh, I see it,” Harold finally said, It looks like the bird I helped Mr. Smith chase out of the church building yesterday.” “How did a bird get into the church building?” Robert asked in return. Harold looked away and muttered something like “I... Um... Let it in.” and with that his grandpa shouted out HAROLD's name.

     Quickly trying to change the conversation Harold started talking about the preacher. “You should have seen how funny Mr. Smith looked,” he said, “flapping his arms while trying to get the bird to fly out the broken window.” “Broken window?” his Grandpa asked?

     Not wanting to explain how he broke the church window, Harold started to talk about turning into a bird. “Why would you want to become a bird, Harold?”asked his Grandpa, “So you could be chased around the building too or so you could fly away?”

     “Actually, I wanted to talk to the bird and lead it to out. We tried a lot of things to get the bird to fly to freedom, but it just wouldn’t listen.” Harold answered. That of course reminded Robert of some people he knew, people that just wouldn’t listen, like his grandson Harold.

     This helped Robert to try to teach an important lesson. “You know Harold,” he said, “God has offered people freedom, but just like the little bird, they keep going around in different directions trying to get free, but never go the right direction. And just like you wanted to become a bird so you could tell the bird how to get free, John 1:14 tells us that Jesus, who is called the Word, became flesh, a person, and lived with us. The verse says And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. And yet people still won’t listen.

     After that quick lesson, Robert went back to watching the birds, that was until he noticed Harold hiding some reflectors behind his back. “Harold,” Robert started to ask, “what are you up to now?” and with that Harold ran off into the woods saying something about scaring his sister.

     "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. "And you know the way where I am going." Thomas said* to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" Jesus said* to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

John 14:1-6 (NAS)

     More than once I've had to try and get a bird out of a building and it's never been an easy job. Even though the intentions of helping the bird are good the bird would keep flying away - the wrong way.

     Like the bird. mankind needs to know the way of escape, the way to freedom.

• There is a way of escape....
  • John 14:6 - Jesus said* to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (NAS)
• Jesus came to show that way
  • John 1:9-14 - There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (NAS)
  • Luke 19:10 - "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." - (NAS)
• We need to make known that way
  • Mark 16:15 - And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (NAS)
  • Acts 4:10-12 - let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. "He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (NAS)

     Here's Something to Ponder

• Am I thinking about the way God provided
• How am I making that way known

STELLA IN THE DREAM ZONE PART 4

People will give account for every careless word they speak - Matthew 12:36b (ESV)

      Do you ever learn anything from your dreams? Stella’s been having some very bad dreams, dreams in which her poisonous tongue kept saying very bad things. Things got so bad that she eventually cried her self to sleep in her dream.

      As Stella lay asleep on the floor, her brother Harold could be overheard asking their Dad if she was going to be okay. “I hope so,” he responded, “But she did get a nasty looking bump on her head when she fell on the floor. We might have to call an ambulance if she doesn’t wake up soon.”

      “What in the world caused her to faint like that Dad?” asked Harold. “Do you think she fainted because she saw my clean room?” “It’s possible,” his dad said, “It’s been over two years since you last cleaned it.” After a few more minutes had passed by Stella suddenly started rolling around on the floor screaming “No! No! No! I am a Christian, I am a Christian”

      A soon as they heard Stella, Harold rushed over to her side and asked her if she was okay. Stella’s response made her brother and her dad think that something was dreadfully wrong. First she told Harold that she loved him and thought he was the best brother in the world, and than she told her Dad it was okay if he wanted to spank her just as long he would never leave her.

      “Are you sure you’re okay,” they asked again. Than Stella told them all about her dream. “It was terrible.” she said, “First I lost Bernadette, she said she wouldn’t be my best friend anymore because I was talking mean. Than dad and mom left me because I was being sassy and said I knew what I was doing. Than I made a fool of myself yelling at somebody I thought I knew. Oh, it was terrible. I’m glad it wasn’t real.”

      Once they knew Stella was okay for certain, Harold went to tell Bernadette that all was well and Bill went to find Martha and tell her that she was feeling okay. Stella looked up and started talking to God. “God,” she said, “I know you can hear me. I’m sorry for not acting like a Christian, even if it was a dream. Help me to control my tongue so I don’t say things I shouldn’t. In Jesus’ name, Amen. P.S. I love you too.”

      Stella has learned that she needs to be careful with what she says, but she’s not the only one who needs to be careful, we all do.

      I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

Matthew 12:36-37 (ESV)

      In each of Stella's adventures in the Dream Zone she let her tongue get the best of her and in each of her adventures her tongue got her further into trouble, What a shame it is when we let our tongues behave in such a manner. We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people, whom God made like himself. Praises and curses come from the same mouth! My brothers and sisters, this should not happen. - James 3:9-10 (NCV)

      Like Stella, we may think of ourselves as Christian but the Bible has a stern reminder to those who let their tongue ramble uncontrolled. Do any of you think you are religious? If you do not control your tongue, your religion is worthless and you deceive yourself. - James 1:26 (TEV)

      Sometimes, we may not see the results of a loose tongue for years. Consider the following I came across in my Bible Illustrator.

      An elderly gentleman related that when he was a young man he was on one occasion out with a party camping. They were mostly young fellows, but one or two were middle-aged men. One evening as they sat around the fire, a story that one of the older men told suggested to the gentleman a vulgar comment, to which he gave utterance before he thought twice. He could have bitten his tongue off the next instant. The older man simply looked straight at him for a moment across the fire, and he knew that he was judged by that remark. After a year or two had passed the young man's name was mentioned for a position which was very desirable and which he seemed likely to secure, but the man who had been disgusted at his vulgar comment was one of the three to decide it, and at his suggestion the young man was defeated. He afterward found other work, but he regretted as long as he lived giving utterance to that one vulgar, impure comment.



      The next time you're tempted to let your tongue go on a rampage remember these verses.

• Those who are careful about what they say protect their lives, but whoever speaks without thinking will be ruined. - Proverbs 13:3 (NCV)
• Those who are careful about what they say keep themselves out of trouble. - Proverbs 21:23 (NCV)
• For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. - 1 Peter 3:10 (NIV)

      Here's Something to Ponder

• Do I think about what I say before I say it
• Do I make sure what I say is worthy to be said

STELLA IN THE DREAM ZONE PART 3

Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. - Proverbs 16:18 (HCSB)

      Have you ever wondered if things could get worse than they already are? After Stella’s best friend had left her, and her parents had vanished with a poof, Stella didn’t think anything could be worse than what had already happened, but than Mindy showed up and Stella’s poisonous tongue started talking again..

      As the story goes, Cindy’s identical twin sister Mindy was bored so she went looking for a friend and when she did, it was Stella she found. When Stella saw her she became very angry. “I Hate You,” she said. “You better go and tell Bernadette you won’t be her friend any more and that she better come back to me right NOW before I slug her in the nose”

      Now Mindy had no idea who Stella was or why she was yelling at her. When she tried to ask Stella who she was, Stella snapped back “You know who I am Miss Windy.” “Windy? My name isn’t Windy,” Mindy told her but Stella wouldn’t believe her. “Windy, Cindy I don’t care you took Bernadette away from me and I want her back NOW!”

      Now it was Mindy’s turn to get angry. “Excuse me Miss Know It All,” she said, “My name is not Windy, nor is it Cindy. My name is Mindy Miller. Aren’t there any nice people in this town?” Instead of listening and believing her, Stella got even angrier and said something next she later wished she had never said.

      “You are not Mindy! You’re Cindy and you took Bernadette away from me. I know you did, and I’m always right! If I’m wrong let God strike me dead.” As soon as Stella had finished saying those words Cindy showed up and called Mindy by her name. When Stella saw Cindy she began too shake with fear.

      As Mindy and Cindy headed for home Stella over heard them talking about how mean she was and how neat her brother Harold was. Than she heard one of them say she didn’t think she was a Christian and that God couldn’t love a person like her. Hearing that, Stella started to cry and she cried and cried and cried until she fell fast asleep.

      How often do we let pride get the best of us. In her pride, Stella thought she could never be wrong. In her pride, Stella said things she should never have said. In her pride, Stella fell and now she sleeps.

      In his pride, Nebuchadnezzar said "Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?" ... and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws. - Daniel 4

      In his pride, Goliath said "Do you think I am a dog, that you come at me with a stick?, Come here. I’ll feed your body to the birds of the air and the wild animals!" ... and he fell face down on the ground where David cut off his head with his own sword. - 1 Samuel 17

      In his pride, Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king want to honor more than me?“ ... And he was required to honor Mordecai the Jew whom he hated - Esther 6

      For those of us that want to hold onto our pride, we need to think of pride's rewards.

• A man's pride will bring him low, - Proverbs 29:23a (NAS)
• When pride comes, then comes disgrace, - Proverbs 11:2a (ESV)
• Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. - Proverbs 16:18 (HCSB)

      On the other hand, if we so desire to humble ourselves, we can be encouraged by humility's rewards

• The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life. - Proverbs 22:4 (ESV)
• Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 18:4 (ESV)
• Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. - James 4:10 (NAS)

      Here's Something to Ponder

• Have I examined myself for pesky pride
• Will I humble myself before God and one another

STELLA IN THE DREAM ZONE PART 2

Fools think they are doing right Proverbs 12:15a (NCV)

      The tongue can cause us a lot of problems. In Stella’s first adventure into the Dream Zone, her tongue turned poisonous and as a result she lost her best friend. If she had only woke up than things might have gotten better. Instead, things got worse.

     Attempting to get her friend back, Stella frantically wandered around hollering for her Mom. She was sure that her Mom would be able to make Bernadette be her best friend again. When she finally found her mom out in the garden she started to tell her about Bernadette but her poisonous tongue wouldn’t let her.

     “Yuck,” she said to her mom, “What kind of an ugly dress is that? Why it’s so ugly I wouldn’t want to be caught dead around you. Are you in some kind of ugly dress contest?” Now Martha, that’s Stella’s mom’s name, didn’t like Stella’s poisonous tongue and quickly let her know that was not a proper way to talk to her mom or anybody else.

     Unfortunately for Stella, she didn’t listen. Instead she kept getting worse. “I really don’t care what you say.” she told her mom. “I will talk the way I want to talk. I’m my own self and you can’t tell me what to do or rule my life.”

     Now Stella’s dad was working on a brush pile on the other side of the house when her heard Martha call for him. When he got to the garden, Martha was almost in tears. “Bill, you need to have a talk with Stella, she’s having a problem with her tongue and she is being very sassy.”

     Before Bill had a chance to say anything to Stella she started talking mean to him too. “Why don’t you go back to your job, you, you, over grown gorilla, and leave me alone.” Stella told him. “I’m not going to listen to you either. I can do anything I want to. I know what I am doing.”

     Instead of arguing with Stella, Bill simply said “You really think you know what you’re doing, you really want to be left alone, than good bye.” And than poof, he disappeared and so did Martha. Startled and somewhat scared by her parents strange disappearance, Stella went looking for her mom and dad but she couldn’t find them anywhere, her wish had come true, she was all alone and she started to cry.

     Did she really want them gone? Did she really know what she was doing? A voice that seem to come from nowhere said “Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

      People will be rewarded for what they say, and they will also be rewarded for what they do. Fools think they are doing right, but the wise listen to advice.

Proverbs 12:14-15 (NCV)

     No one would ever talk to their parents like that would they? After all the Bible tells us time and time again to "Honor your father and your mother." Recently I heard of a talk show host that said she found it liberating to know she didn't have to love her mom. How foolish people have become thinking they know the correct way to do things.

     When we think we know the right way to live, when we think we know what we are doing we need to beware lest we end up like Stella.

• All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the LORD weighs the motives. - Proverbs 16:2 (NAS)
• If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; - 1 Corinthians 8:2 (NAS)
• For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. - Galatians 6:3 (NAS)
• Fools think they are doing right, but the wise listen to advice. - Proverbs 12:15 (NCV)
• There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. - Proverbs 14:12 (NIV)

     When it comes to actually living the right way, to actually doing things right we can again turn our thoughts towards God's word.

• Jesus said* to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. - John 14:6 (NAS)
• Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, "He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS"; and again, "THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS." - 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 (NAS)
• Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. - Proverbs 3:5-7 (NAS)

     Here's Something to Ponder

• Ask yourself if you really know what you are doing
• Are you looking to the Lord for direction