“Worryin’ about it ain’t gonna change nothin’ or stop nothin’ or fix nothin’.”      –David R. Lewis (Deer Run Trail)

“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?”      –Matthew 6:27 (NASB)

Some of you might remember the Kingston Trio. They had a song about a “worried man.” There were words that went this way, “It takes a worried man to sing a worried song.” Jesus said that worrying does not help us. In fact, worrying is an affront to Him, are we not to trust Him for everything?
However, let me point out that concern and worry are not the same thing. Anyone with any sense watching the convention going on now should be very concerned for this country. On the other hand governments rest in the sovereign will of God. That is not to say we should sit back and say what will be, will be. That is fatalism, not faith.
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“The world is on fire!” are the words of the Milwaukee Sheriff. If people do not see that as a reality then they are truly blind. Paul tells us that things will continually worsen. “But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:13, NASB)
Look at what is happening and yet there are those who take a nonchalant glance; almost a ho-hum attitude toward the affairs of the world unless it fits in with their agendas. And what was it that was said by our elite, top-notch foreign affairs expert, “AC and refrigeration are more dangerous that terrorists.” Didn’t fit his agenda, push it aside.
Preachers and others in the church do the same thing. Preach harmony, prosperity, and forget to bring in the idea that God is also wrathful and does get angry. I don’t think things are going to get much better, maybe a calmness or a relaxation for a short period, but evil is more and more rampant and it will get worse. John writes, “For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.” (Revelation 12:12, NASB) Right now he moves throughout the air, but one day he will be cast completely to earth and on that day chaos and havoc will break out the likes of the world has never seen.
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I’ve been reading recently Proverbs 14 for my morning devotions. Let me throw a couple of verses at you, and you need to ponder them in light of the situation in our country and the world.
vs 5, “…a false witness pours out lies.”
vs 7, “Stay away from a foolish man….”
vs 8, “The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their way, but the folly of fools is deception.”
vs 9, “Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright.”
Perhaps the only thing worse than a fool is someone who fellowships with them and listens to their words.
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“The blue-jay doesn’t scream without reason.”
“Cobwebs across a hole mean nothing inside.”
“On a long-established New Mexico dry cleaners: ’38 years on the same spot.'”

“Whenever you feel that things are getting too much for you, go to the mountains or the desert–it smooths out the wrinkles in your mind.”      –Louis L’Amour (Brionne)

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He got up, went out, and made His way to a deserted place. And He was praying there.”      –Mark 1:35 (HCSB)

Time to get out and start smoothing the wrinkles out!

I know not what others may say, but as for me, you take the sundials and give me the sun.”      –Eugene Manlove Rhodes (Paso Por Aqui)

“Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom.”      –Genesis 13:11-12 (NIV)

When I used to teach Bible in our school I would always pray that the Lord would give me three words to pass on to the class throughout the year. Actually two words, for every year one of them would be HONOR. The concepts behind these words would be emphasized throughout the year. So I have often pondered this idea.
Just this past week I thought about it some more and I think I have come up with three words, or concepts that are paramount to living the Christian life. What I have come up with is Sacrifice–Obedience–Following. What I mean by Following is that it is important to recognize that we need to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit; that He has laid down a path for us to follow. Perhaps that is close to Obedience, but not necessarily the same.
After we have these in place it is easy to add other traits such as knowledge, wisdom, courage, honor, dedication, and numerous others. If we could get down these three, the others would fall into their proper order.
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These has been one of those weeks where the Lord reminded me of how good He is. He did this by showing me the friends in my life. On Sunday we had the opportunity to eat dinner with our pastor and his wife. That is always good company. Also on Sunday we saw some good folk that we haven’t seen for a while. They came to me with tears and said, “We didn’t know if we would ever see you again.” Then Wednesday morning I had breakfast with “old” friends. Yessiree, old in the terms of years and old in the term of length of friendship. I mean, one of these guys is actually older than me. Then last evening we ate supper with some new friends.
Now I’m not a fellowship-ridden guy. It is not something I crave, but it is good to know that there are those you can ride the river with. They are not blood-family, but really they are the true meaning of friends. Many people say that so-and-so is their friend, but in actuality they are just strong acquaintances.
So the Lord reminded me that He has placed friends in my life to make the journey more enjoyable, more hospitable, and more pleasant. Even in hard times and storms, friends can bring a sense of assurance to your life and once in a while a smile.
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“Some folks look at me and see a certain swagger, which in Texas is called ‘walking’.”      –George W. Bush

There is a vast difference between cockiness and confidence. It is really not hard to detect if a person knows what to look for because people produce attitude. I had a student ask me a year ago if I had “swag.” My response to him was, “You tell me.” Being confident is not being boastful, but it is making sure the job gets done.
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“Just ’cause trouble comes visiting doesn’t mean you have to offer it a place to sit down.”
“Treat a woman like a racehorse, and she’ll never be a nag.”
“Don’t let your yearnings get ahead of your earnings.”

“I thought of how the vices of all men, no matter what color, seem to multiply as old social orders break down and new ones try to establish themselves.”      –Douglas C. Jones (Winding Stair)

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand by the roadways and look. Ask about the ancient paths: Which is the way to what is good? Then take it and find rest for yourselves.’ But they protested, ‘We won’t!'”      –Jeremiah 6:16 (HCSB)

Take a look at a few verses from Isaiah 13. It speaks of the “day of the LORD”, which is a future time.
vs 6, “Wail! For the day of the LORD is near. It will come like destruction from the Almighty.”
vs 7, “Therefore everyone’s hands will become weak, and every man’s heart will melt.”
vs 8, “They will be horrified; pain and agony will seize them; they will be in anguish like a woman in labor. They will look at each other, their faces flushed with fear.”
vs 9, “Look, the day of the LORD is coming–cruel, with rage and burning anger–to make the earth a desolation and to destroy the sinners on it.” (HCSB)

Now wouldn’t that make for a popular sermon today? Get up and preach that one. Perhaps the reason why some are wanting laws passed against the preaching of the message of God is to ease their conscience. Hate speech or truth?
I heard a long time ago, when I was a kid, that if there is a pack of dogs and you throw a rock at them, the one that howls the loudest is the one you hit. Hear any “howling” in society?
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If you are a moody person you might not want to read the following, but then again you probably should.
“It will be a sorry day for this world, and for all the people in it, when everybody makes his moods his masters, and does nothing but what he is inclined to do. The need of training the will to the performance of work that is distasteful; of making the impulses serve, instead of allowing them to rule, the higher reason; of subjugating the moods instead of being subjugated by them, lies at the very foundation of character. It is possible to learn to fix the wandering thought, to compel the reluctant mental energy, to concentrate the power upon the performance of a task to which there is no inclination. Until this victory has been gained, life holds no sure promise; the achievement of this conquest is the condition of future success. No matter how splendid may be the natural gifts, unless there is a will that can marshal and command them, the life is sure to be a failure.”
–unknown
It would behoove the millennials to read this and adhere to it.
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“History is moving, and it will tend toward hope, or tend toward tragedy.”
–George W. Bush
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“An onion can make people cry; but, there’s never been a vegetable that can make people laugh.”
“Any cowboy can carry a tune. The trouble comes when he tries to unload it.”
“Always take a good look at what you’re about to eat. It’s not so important to know what it is, but it’s critical to know what it was.”