KEEP IN TOUCH

“Sometimes I don’t think I ‘m a Christian,” said a boy one day.  “I don’t seem to have the same interest that I had when I joined the church. It isn’t easy for me to remember God.”   “What about the time your father was away from home so long?  Was it hard for you to remember him?” asked the minister slowly.  “Not a bit,” said the boy.  “We had letters from him and kept thinking about him and talking about him, and looking forward to the time when he would be home.  No, there wasn’t much chance to forget him.” Suppose there had been no letters.  Suppose your father’s name had been dropped from the conversation.” said the minister thoughtfully.
“That would have made a difference,” answered the boy.  “Well, don’t you see it is the same with God?  We can’t see Him when we allow so many other things to crowd in upon us.  But God has given us His Holy Word, something like your father’s letters, and His house where the family can meet and talk about Him.  A fellow needs all the reminders of God he can have in a world like this.”
(Bible Expositor and Illuminator)

We are such forgetters.  God knows this so He has given us lots of reminders of Himself. He has given us an adequate piece of His mind in the Bible. He reveals Himself through the living Word, Jesus and the written Word, the Bible.  We are without excuse, we can know God. If we forget Him, it is because we have allowed other things to cloud our vision.

Two things we must know about God.  They are: One, that God is and two, that God wants to be known.  I believe the Bible as Genesis 1: 1 states:  “In the beginning, God created…”  God brought everything that is into being.  God is the author of all creation.  God made mankind.  God is a father and wants a family.  This family of  His is to be like His Son, Jesus.  They will bear the nature of Christ.  Wouldn’t it be strange if Father God did not want to be known by His children?  We can know God.  Hebrews 1: 1-2  “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son…” Jesus told Philip, “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, Show us the Father?” (John 14: 9)

We have a responsibility to KEEP IN TOUCH with God.

Devotional: TALE OF TWO PLAYERS

The football game between Army and tiny Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania, November 9, 1912 was a classic. Carlisle’s classes only went to the twelfth grade, but many of their Indian students were in their twenties. The football players were too rough for high school games, so they played major colleges.

Before the November 9 game, Army was ranked second in the nation. But that was before Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle team trounced them with a 27 to 6 score. Thorpe shook off three burly tacklers and bulled his way over for the first touchdown. He passed for another touchdown and returned a ninety-yard punt for another. The ninety-yard run was called back on a penalty and Army kicked again. This time Thorpe merely ran ninety-five yards for a score. Thorpe was never headed, not even by an Army halfback named David who later became famous in another field.

Thorpe died in 1953. His death ended a long nightmare of drinking, bumming about the country, family troubles, injuries and illnesses. For his athletic prowess he was honored by kings and acclaimed by sports judges as “the greatest athlete in American history.” He could perform almost any feat except control himself.

And the Army halfback who played against Thorpe in the 1912 game? He became a general in the United States in 1952, one year before Thorpe died. His name: Dwight David Eisenhower.

Temperance, discipline and self control are elements that the Lord requires of each one of us as we live the Christian life. It is not so much a matter of self-control as it is GOD-CONTROL. With His help, our lives can be disciplined for His glory.

The Apostle Paul, divinely inspired wrote: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2:11-14 NIV

Your Friend in Christ,
Max E Smith
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Devotional: HOLD ONTO YOUR FORK

I want to tell you a true story of an old friend, Glen Wheeler. In 1963, his wife, Evelyn had open heart surgery. For 18 years she was kept alive by a Starr-Edward artificial heart valve. During those difficult years of ill health, Glen and Evelyn frequently quoted this phrase in Robert Browning’s poem, “Grow old with me, the best is yet to be.” Another favorite phrase of theirs was “Hold on to your fork.” You know where that phrase comes from. You have a delicious meal. As the hostess removes the dinner plates from the table, she says, “Hold on to your fork.” She knew what was coming and it would be the best part of the meal. In a few moments, the hostess brings you a generous helping of your favorite dessert. You pick up your fork and enjoy the best part of the meal. No wonder she said, “Hold on to your folk.”

And this is the way life is. “THE BEST IS YET TO BE.”

Evelyn died March 5, 1981. Glen said, “The fork not only slipped, but it seemed to break.”
After the graveside service as Glen was leaving the grave, he looked back for one final glimpse. His eyes were filled with tears, his heart nearly bursting. Glen said it seemed as if he heard a familiar feminine voice whisper, “Glen, the best is yet to be, it really is. Hold on to your fork.”

GOD’S MESSAGE IS “CHRISTIAN HOLD ON TO YOUR FORK – THE BEST IS YET TO BE.”

Listen to God’s Word in 2 Corinthians 4:16 – 18 “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far out weighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Your Friend in Christ,
Max E Smith
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Devotional: INTERFERENCE

Let us suppose that we are watching a hockey game and a giant comes along and asks what the struggle is all about. We tell this giant that the object is to get that little black puck into the net at either end. So, the giant thinking to please us, walks on the field, knocks men right and left, picks up the puck, brushes off the goal keeper and puts the puck in the net. What a riot he would create if this happened. All of us would cry, “Interference. You can’t play the game that way. The game is ruined.”

For God to interfere with our choices would make the game of life meaningless.

Choice is what makes man unique. If we didn’t have choice we would be puppets. Choice makes us accountable and responsible for our actions. God has blessed us with free will.

There are three crucial questions for life: “Where Did I Come From?” “Who Am I?” and “Where Am I Going?” A study in the Book of Genesis helps us answer these questions. First, I am a creation of God because He made me. Secondly, I am an adopted child of God through His Son, Jesus. He gave me the ‘right’ to become a child of His. Thirdly, He promises His adopted children His kind of life now and forever more. In Christ Jesus, God has provided for my salvation. Man must accept His gift.
Also, in Genesis we learn the origin of sin. Adam and Eve knew God’s conditions for Life and they disobeyed Him. Therefore, by their own choice they lost Paradise and eternal life. What God promised to man in the beginning, perfect harmony with Him, man can have back by man’s deliberate choice of faith in Jesus Christ.

CHOOSE CHRIST AND LIFE, NOT SIN AND DEATH. It is up to you.

Your Friend in Christ,
Max E Smith
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Quote: “The buck stops here.” Harry S Truman

Devotional: WHO IS THE GREATEST?

During the American Civil War, General George B. McClellan was put in charge of the great Army of the Potomac, mainly because public opinion was on his side. He fancied himself to be a great military leader and enjoyed hearing the people call him “a young Napoleon.” However, his performance was less than sensational. President Lincoln commissioned him General-in-Chief, hoping this would get some action, but still he procrastinated. One evening, Lincoln and two of his staff members went to visit McClellan, only to learn that he was at a wedding. The three men sat down to wait, and an hour later the general arrived home. Without paying any attention to the president, McClellan went upstairs and did not return. Half an hour later, Lincoln sent the servant to tell McClellan that the men were waiting. The servant came back to report McClellan had gone to bed. His associates were angry. Lincoln merely got up and led the way home. “This is no time to be making points of etiquette and personal dignity,” the president explained. “I would hold McClellan’s horse if he will only bring success.”

Lincoln was not thinking of himself; he was thinking of serving others. Jesus taught that the mark of greatness was service. Jesus came not to be ministered unto but to minister. How sad it is today that everyone wants to be ‘chiefs’ and nobody wants to be ‘indians’. Just remember that Jesus said, “The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:11-12

This is contrary to our way of thinking. Our worldly standard links greatness with authority, to command and tell others what to do. We test greatness by the number of those who serve us. We honor those who have accumulated great wealth. Our hats are off to the go-getter, the achiever. We aim to look out for number one, self. We seek to be served rather than to serve.

Yet according to God, service is the way of greatness. Jesus showed us the way as He gave Himself for all mankind. Follow Him.

Your Friend in Christ,
Max E Smith
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Quote: “The price of greatness is responsibility.” Winston Churchill

Devotional: GOD DID

When our son, Dan, was just a young boy, his mother took him to the store to buy a bathing suit. The suit was purchased and when they got home, Jo noticed a tear in the cloth of the swimming suit. She was upset because she didn’t have time to return the suit nor to mend it. At the meal time, Jo said that she wished she had noticed the hole before she bought the suit. Dan said, “Well mom, you can’t expect to buy everything perfect.”

Jo answered, “No, but you don’t expect to pay the full price for something that isn’t perfect.” Dan’s face got serious and then he said, “GOD DID.”

Listen to this scripture: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8

The PERFECT died for the imperfect. The GODLY for the ungodly. The SINLESS for the sinful. God so loved us that He gave His Son for us that we might have abundant and eternal life.

We ought to be thinking, I just can’t believe that. It is too good to be true. It is indeed a wonder. But, that is the GOOD NEWS. God loved His creation so much that He offered His Son to take our place in paying the penalty for our sin which is eternal death, separation from the presence of God. He wants us to be with Him. He is a Father and desires the best for His children. Accept His love and express your love for Him. Be a part of the family of God through accepting and living for Jesus.

Your Friend in Christ,
Max E Smith
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Quote: ”Many of our prayers are for an easy solution, God is more glorified in Him when souls exhibit His grace under pressure.” -Elisabeth Elliot