Topic(s): Encouragement

I recently read a little quotation from Reader’s Digest that said, “It isn’t so much how busy you are; but why you are busy. The bee is praised. The mosquito is swatted.” That sounds good, but I know a few bees that got swatted as well.

In the church, we have some bees and some mosquitoes. Some people work at building the church, while others expect the church to work for them. One gives honey; the other sucks the life-blood from the body. One group wants to serve, and other wants to be served.

Let’s be careful not to swat a bee. Let’s protect the bee. We certainly don’t want him to become an endangered species! In fact, while we are at it, let’s change mosquitoes into bees. That’s something we can do that science can’t!

“...encourage thou him…” —2 Samuel 11:25

Do You Live What You Preach

Topic(s): Christian Life

While speaking to a group of Hindu women a missionary noticed one of the women silently walked away but soon returned and listened more intently than before. Afterwards, he asked her, “Why did you leave in the middle of my message?” The woman replied, “I was so interested in the wonderful things you were saying that I went to ask your servant if you live like you teach and he said that you do. So, I came back to hear more about Jesus.”

“...Jesus began both to do and teach” —Acts 1:1
 

Name Calling

Topic(s): Children, Humor

It was the first day of school and the teacher asked one of the little girls what her father’s name was. “Daddy,” replied the little girl brightly. “No, no,” said the teacher. “I mean his name—What does your mother call him?” “She don’t call him nuffin,” retorted the child. “She likes him.”

“That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children” —Titus 2:4

Want to know which vehicle is the most expensive to operate per mile? It’s the grocery shopping cart!

“How Is It You Do Not Understand?”

Topic(s): Faith

He had fed the five thousand. He had fed the four thousand. He had stilled the sea. He had walked on the water. He had healed, raised, restored, and revived. He had silenced His opponents. Jesus had done all these things in the presence of the twelve. He then departed with them to the other side of Galilee (Mark 8:13).
As they went across the sea, the disciples realized they had forgotten to take bread. Jesus then charged them saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod” (Mark 8:15). The disciples reasoned that this statement of Christ was a response to them forgetting to bring bread (Mark 8:16). Take a look at the rest of the text:

And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand? (Mark 8:17 21).

Sometimes the obliviousness of man is shocking. Considering all of the things that God has done you would think that we would get it. The angel of the Lord said to Abraham and Sarah who doubted, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14). Of course we know the answer is “No!” for “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

How is it then, we do not understand? God has not only preserved our lives, but He has allowed the Savior of the world to ride in our boat. Some refuse to let Him ride. Others refuse to let Him lead. Still others forget what He has done and can do altogether.

Why don’t people come to every assembly? Why don’t they give as they should? Why don’t they tell others about the saving message? Why don’t they pray and read their Bibles regularly? Why don’t they visit the sick? Why don’t they faithfully trust in the promise of heaven? Why don’t they lean on God in times of plenty, not just times of need? Why don’t they respond to the Gospel? Why don’t they give themselves to their God?

I think the answer is simple. Instead of trusting in a God who is right beside them, ready to lead them safely ashore, people worry about bread. We are so tied up in fleshly things we miss out on what God has revealed spiritually, “...yes, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10).

Jesus was right when He said, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod” (Mark 8:15). He was talking about human doctrine (Matthew 16:12). He was talking about being mindful of the things of men, rather than the things of God (Matthew 16:23).

God is waiting. He is waiting for us to submit our lives completely to Him. He is waiting for us to realize that He is in control and can bring us happiness, peace, and life eternal. He is waiting for us to get it. Do we understand? —Jeremiah Tatum

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (Isaiah 64:4, 1 Corinthians 2:9).