Thanks be to Jesus,
the Alpha and Omega, the giver of all good and perfect gifts. Praise
the Lord for the gift of this day. It is sunny and going to be hotter and
getting wild through the week. Indeed, these are the "Dog-days"
of summer. Our church hosted a community-wide dinner yesterday
afternoon.
They
served seasonal comfort foods with desserts. Best of all was
the sharing in great fellowship and hospitality. It is always
a great treat and a huge blessing when friends and neighbors come share a
beautiful, and simple time of sweet fellowship around the table. People
engage in conversations which are often social yet at times
become very deep and personal. There are moments of celebrations of
the simple gifts of the Lord. People prepare the meals with joy and
serve the meals with warm hearts.
I
have been watching the Republican National Convention. Many of the
speakers have been stirring and thought-provoking. Praise the Lord
for America, the Beautiful. Praise the Lord for the Exceptionalism of
America. George Washington stated, "Government is a fearful master
and a dangerous servant". In the world there many governments which
are demonic, oppressive, and tyrannical. We uphold and declare
that America is "One Nation under God". Praise the Lord that America
is " A city upon a Hill", founded on Judeo-Christian truths and
principles. A French diplomat from years past visited the United
States of America and made the following observation:
"I sought for the key to the greatness and genius of America in her harbors...; in her fertile fields and boundless forests; in her rich mines and vast world commerce; in her public school system and institutions of learning. I sought for it in her democratic Congress and in her matchless Constitution. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great. The safeguard of morality is religion, and morality is the best security of law as well as the surest pledge of freedom.
"The Americans combine the notions of Christianity and of liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them conceive the one without the other. Christianity is the companion of liberty in all its conflicts -- the cradle of its infancy, and the divine source of its claims. ---Alexis de Tocqueville
Alice
and I went to our garden yesterday evening. It was a cool and
enchanting evening. We picked some produce with much joy and gratitude,
praising the Lord for all simple gifts and rich blessings. I love to
watch the western skies in the evening listening to the "Compline" of
the evening doves and choir of divers birds singing praises to the Lord with
mirthful hearts. Blessings on all of you around the corner and around the globe
as we continue to live our lives under the Authority of Jesus our Lord who
never changes and whose love never fails. He it is who transforms
situations, circumstances, and best of all, people. Sinner becomes
saints, the lost are found, the blind see the lame walk again, the dead in
sin rise up walk in the newness of life. This life is worth living
because of Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
I
want to share a true story about a man whose life was changed and was radically
transformed.. His name was Peter Philpott. It was years ago that he
worked in a shop with several other men, and it wasn't a “Christian”
atmosphere. Philpott, along with the rest of the men there, was
a rough man but there was another man there who was rougher than the
rest. Peter said that the toughest, roughest worker in the shop was
"Big Tom". Tom was not only the strongest man in the shop, he was
also the most wicked. He was feared by every man and by his own family,
and he in turn was afraid of no one or nothing. Then one day Big Tom came
into work came into the shop smiling and happy. He told everyone he’d
gone to an evangelistic service the night before and had become a
Christian. He said “Men, I am now a Christian. I intend to be
different from that you have known me to be. I want be loyal and true to
the Lord Jesus.”
The men didn't laugh at him to his face (no one would dare), but they began to make bets that Tom's Christianity would not last until noon. . . But it did.
Then they bet he wouldn't be able to go past the tavern on the way home. . . But he did. Then they made bets that Saturday night would find Tom dead drunk in some saloon. . . But they were wrong. He took his pay envelope and went straight home to his family. After a while every man in the shop began to believe that Big Tom had really become a Christian.
The men didn't laugh at him to his face (no one would dare), but they began to make bets that Tom's Christianity would not last until noon. . . But it did.
Then they bet he wouldn't be able to go past the tavern on the way home. . . But he did. Then they made bets that Saturday night would find Tom dead drunk in some saloon. . . But they were wrong. He took his pay envelope and went straight home to his family. After a while every man in the shop began to believe that Big Tom had really become a Christian.
But then one day it happened! Tom struck his hand with a hammer and turned the air blue with a streak of cursing. The shop went silent. Everybody stopped their work and turned toward Tom. But Tom wasn't looking at anyone else. The men in the shop watched in amazement as Tom sank to his knees and sobbed as he asked God for forgiveness. Philpott said “For several minutes he remained in prayer. Then he arose from knees and, wiping the tears from his cheeks, he smiled at us and said “Fellows, I want you to forgive me. I didn't mean to swear. The Savior has forgiven me, and please forgive me men, everyone.’”
Philpott then said: “It was the sight of Tom on his knees publicly asking the Lord Jesus for forgiveness that touched my heart so deeply that I could not rest until shortly afterward… I too accepted the Savior.”
Tom was a man who understood the importance of his faith. He made no excuses for his sin, no apologies, no attempt to cover it up, And because he was willing to humble himself and even publicly ask for forgiveness, his witness changed the life of another man who wanted what Tom had found. That is our challenge as believers. To change the world – not because we are “righteous” but because we serve a God who is. A God who is not only righteous but merciful.
In Christ,
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