God the Encourager11/30/13

Good Morning,

Saturday it is and I find myself drinking a hot cup of Door County Jingle Bell Java. I guess I just couldn't wait until December.

So good morning to all. May your day be merry and bright.

We all have some type of hero here on Earth. It might have been a political figure, a sports figure, a military figure, musicians and singers. literary or art figures, family members or friends or a historical figure from long ago. A true fan knows all there is to know about their hero. You find that they will often quote statistics, or historical facts, or repeat quotes from their hero. Some how, some way, their hero will pop into a conversation. Some people will spend large amounts of money to see their hero or go to visit where they were born, died, or lived.

Did you know that you have a fan? Someone who is pulling for you at all times? Someone who knows every statistic about you, and loves to watch you? Yes you do. God is your biggest fan. If you sent him some art work made of crayons, it would be on His refrigerator. Your birthday is on His calendar.

God loves you and has gone to great lengths to make sure that you can spend eternity with Him. He paid a huge price to be in the front row when you come home. To know that we are forgiven for our sin, loved in our weakness, saved by his mercy, destined for fellowship with God, all because we are supremely valued by God—that is to know the perfect love that drives fear away. It is not because of what we have done that we can have such confidence before God, but because of what God has done for us. Now that's a fan. One who fights for us, loves us despite times when we fail, cries when we struggle, and cheers when we succeed.

Psalm 23  (ESV)

The Lord Is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
³     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

You are loved more than you know. Smile , God is watching.

Love

Marty

Thanksgiving Day Better Than I Deserve11/28/13

Good Morning Dear Friends Near and Far.

Thanksgiving Day in America. I woke up early as usual and the fireplace is crackling with a hot fire. The fresh bread in the oven makes the whole house smell like a bakery. My wife and grandson are still both asleep. I was greeted by two energetic Springer Spaniels this morning as they supervised me starting the smoker filled with pork loins. It is quiet and peaceful. Now to spend time with God and my old friend the coffee cup which is filled with another dear friend Door County Maple Coffee.

It is a custom around the world when greeting people to say hello and "how are you". Most of the time this greeting is exchanged back by the other person with both replying "fine, OK, great, so so, could be better, or a myriad of other answers. I thought about this long and hard for Thanksgiving Day.

I should reply when asked "how are you? Better than I deserve". Let me explain. I will use Scripture from the Bible to put it in God's Words.

Romans 3:23 (NIV)

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, This applies to me and everyone.

Romans 6:23(NIV)

²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in^[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is life eternal spent in hell away from God. According to the verse above I qualify for hell as well as everyone else.

John 3:16 (NIV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  But God's plan is to offer an alternative and that is forgiveness for sin through His Son Jesus. Jesus paid the price for my sins and the sins of the world.

On July 7th 1981 during some very trying times for me I read the following Bible verse.

Matthew 11:28-30

New International Version (NIV)

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” I realized that I was in need of a Savior and that my path was leading to hell. I invited Jesus into my heart that night. You can do this also today.

Jesus left no doubt that He will return again to complete His mission of salvation for mankind:

"Don't be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am." (NLT, John 14:1-4)

 1 Thessalonians 4:16
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise first:"  So when people ask "how are you"? I should reply "better than I deserve". Because Jesus will return for each and everyone who has received Him as Lord and Savior by faith. So as I am counting my blessings today as others will. I will thank Him in advance because He will come some day for me. How about you? Thankful for your salvation in Christ? Need a Savior today? Two actions here to take. Both are up to you. I have an old hymn on my mind. Many of you older folks will recall it. I have copied it below.

God bless,
Marty

504. The Old Rugged Cross

Text: George Bennard, 1873-1958
Music: George Bennard, 1873-1958
Tune: ---, Meter: Irr. with Refrain

---

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
 the emblem of suffering and shame;
 and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
 for a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
 So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
 till my trophies at last I lay down;
 I will cling to the old rugged cross,
 and exchange it some day for a crown.

2. O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
 has a wondrous attraction for me;
 for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
 to bear it to dark Calvary.
 (Refrain)

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
 a wondrous beauty I see,
 for 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
 to pardon and sanctify me.
 (Refrain)

4. To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
 its shame and reproach gladly bear;
 then he'll call me some day to my home far away,
 where his glory forever I'll share.
 (Refrain)

 

God and Turkey for Thanksgiving 11/27/13 with a recipe.

Good Morning,

The day before Thanksgiving and I am starting the morning with a hot cup of Door County Pumpkin Spice coffee. I am praying that all who desire to eat turkey for Thanksgiving will be able to do so. I also pray that those who are alone will find company and fellowship. We are preparing for a lot of people to eat dinner with us. Family and friends around the table eating and enjoying fellowship together. It will be a blessing!
 A lot of people have a custom that before they eat or after eating, each person has to say one thing that they are grateful for. This year I plan on changing that up. I am going to ask each person to state one thing they are grateful for that God did for them this last year. I intend to give God more glory than He usually receives at our table for this holiday. After all He deserves our praise and worship on Thanksgiving and holidays.

Habakkuk 2:14

                       

"For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.

Prepare the table for tomorrow, but also prepare your heart.

God bless,
Marty

Turkey Recipe

Here is how we have done it for years.

One large turkey thawed and dried off inside and out.

Please two slices heavily smoked bacon and pace into the cavity of the bird.
Rub the turkey with pure maple syrup.
Then drape the smoked bacon over the turkey completely covering the bird. Then pour the rest of the maple syrup over the bacon and then bake at 325 until done.
Once the turkey is done, uncover the bird and allow the bacon to brown.

To serve the turkey, remove the bacon and slice the meat. Place the meat on a platter and pour some of the bacon and syrup drippings on to the meat.

The Pilgrims Cared 11/26/13

Good Morning,

I hope you are all enjoying some quiet time and a hot cup of coffee. My cup is filled with Door County Cherry Crème Coffee.

As we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday in America I want all of us to take our minds off of big feasts and visiting relatives just for a minute. What can we learn from America's first pilgrim settlers?
I think today's lesson can apply across the world.

Reverend Billy Graham writes,

 Care about Others
 The Pilgrims left us an example of a people who had keen social concern. They believed that every person was made in the image of God, that each one was of infinite value and worth in the sight of God. They lived with Native Americans who had a different religion, a different skin color and a different culture.
In March of 1621 Chief Samoset visited the Pilgrims’ village and signed a peace treaty that lasted for many years. It was a treaty with high social and ethical content, showing a deep concern for the social, political and spiritual needs of neighbors.
Though the Pilgrims knew that they were citizens of another world, they sought to improve the world they were passing through. The Pilgrims made their new world better, not by tearing down the old, but by constructive toil and fair dealings with their neighbors.

Romans 14:17-19 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Would others say that the world is better just because we are in it?

God bless,
Marty

Shall We Gather At The River? 11/25/13

I was able to duck hunt this weekend with my grandson Dominick and my nephew Nick. During the weekend Dominick said something to me that struck me as odd. He said "Don't get old." I thought about it and laughed because that is something I can't stop.  We sure had fun on the river. It was 8 degrees outside and ice was everywhere. It was cold. But it was sure nice to be with those to young rascals. Then I thought about it. They have both received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior as well as myself. I write this with tears of joy in my eyes. I probably and hopefully will go to meet the Lord long before they do. But we will gather once again at a river for eternity. This weekend was great. But only a prelude of what is to come. What a reunion that will be!

Revelation 22:1-5

New International Version (NIV

22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. ³ No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. ⁴ They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Hymn; Shall we Gather at the River?

1. Shall we gather at the river,
where bright angel feet have trod,
with its crystal tide forever
flowing by the throne of God?
Refrain:
Yes, we'll gather at the river,
the beautiful, the beautiful river;
gather with the saints at the river
that flows by the throne of God.

Have a great day!
Love you all.
Marty

Raking Leaves 11/24/13

Good Morning.

Frigid Sunday in Wisconsin. My coffee today will be some Door County Harvest Blend.

I have been doing some serious duck hunting these last couple months and some of my chores have been neglected. I am as much of a tree love as anyone, but when it comes to raking leaves I see each tree cut into fire wood. I waited and waited but the leaf raking fairy never showed up to help a good guy out.

But this weekend I was blessed with help that came all the way from Florida. My grandson Dominick is visiting and he and I raked and bagged leaves all afternoon yesterday. He is twelve years old now and worked with me hour for hour. I would still be there today if it were not for him and his help. I am proud to say that my daughter and son in law have raised a hard worker.

We all should be working hard in our vocations. God has given us jobs to do. We need to make sure we perform well at work. We represent God to those who employ us. We are paid a wage and we need to earn it.

Luke 16:10                    
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

When we do not give our best at work we are stealing. Stealing is a sin.  Give your employer what God would expect you to do. God bless,
Marty

When Facing a Crisis. 11/23/13

Good Morning Friends.

It is really cold here in Wisconsin and I am headed out duck hunting this morning. My Thermos is filled with Door County Pumpkin Spice Coffee. We all face a crisis from time to time. Some last longer than others. I have always felt that when I was going through a crisis Psalm 46 gave me the assurance that I would make it and God was there for me. I have highlighted some important insights that can help. Keep this Psalm handy in your Bible medicine chest.

Psalm 46

¹ God is our refuge and strength,  Who is our refuge and available to help always? GOD
    an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way GOD removes fear despite circumstances
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.^[c]

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, Who can make me glad in a crisis? GOD
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; Who rules the Earth? GOD
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

⁷ The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Who is a fort that can hide us and protect us? GOD

⁸ Come and see what the Lord has done,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease
    to the ends of the earth. Who can bring peace? GOD
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields^[d] with fire.
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; Who says "Don't do it alone?" God
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

¹¹ The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Think about it. Before you call a friend when you are in a crisis. Did you pray and ask God to help first? Or did you call a human with less than God's resume for crisis management?

Have a great day.

Marty

No Never Alone 11/22/13

Good Morning.

Happy Friday to you. This has been one long week. I am heading out early today with a stiff cup of Door County Apple Cobbler Coffee in my cup.

Man does not thrive well alone. There is within us something that desires to be needed, wanted, and around other people. I know that we all long for quiet time alone away from the world. But then we want to come back and tell others what we saw or experienced. I have been lost in the woods and felt alone in the dark. But I was not alone. I am never really alone. No matter where I go I will never be alone. God is with me wherever I go. I just need to acknowledge His presence. He was with me in the beginning and will be with me to the end.

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹ You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a] God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you.

So when you are feeling alone. Call out to God in prayer. He will never leave you alone. No. Never alone. In the funeral home, the unemployment line, the chemo clinic, the jail, at work. No. Never alone. No. Never alone

God bless,
Marty

What is True Forgiveness? 11/21/13

Good Morning.

Left the house with a cup of Door County Cherry Crème Coffee in my hand. Cold one in Wisconsin today.
I want to talk today about true forgiveness and perfect love.

John 14

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God^[a]; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Jesus the Way to the Father

⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you really know me, you will know^[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Here is the simple version of forgiveness and perfect love.

Jesus is the Son of God sent to die for our sins. Our sins placed Jesus on the cross. So ultimately our sins abused the Son of God.  So we could say we are child abusers. Ugly ugly ugly! But then we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. Born again!. Now as we see in John 14 that Jesus wants to take us home to be with His Father. We stand before the Dad of the Kid we abused and the Kid says Dad "I brought my abuser to live with us for eternity. And then the father welcomes us with open arms.

Now that is true forgiveness and perfect love.

God bless,
Marty

God's timing, God's way. 11/20/13

Good Morning,

This day is starting with a cup of Door County Harvest Blend Coffee. The cup is big and the coffee extra hot today.

Dear Friends.

This past week I was praying for a friend of mine who is in need of housing. You must be thinking "why doesn't Marty help him"? Good question. Several people offered, but due to where he needs to live and where I live it just doesn't work. He was told that on this past Monday he would need to be out of his residence. There just were not any places that he could find to rent. I called a lot of people for prayer. Sunday night as we were preparing to have him live in his truck on Monday, he reminded me that we should pray that God's will be done and if it were to be homeless, my friend would be homeless and content. What a statement!

Well I received a message from my friend on Monday. He was very excited. I thought for sure our prayers had been answered. He told me they were. I said "tell me what God did". My friend explained that circumstances had changed a little and that he could stay where he was living for another 7 days. I was disappointed and he was very happy. I thought our problem was solved and now it was just postponed. My friend reminded me that God blessed him for another 7 days with housing and that now it was time to trust God and do good.

You see God met his need basically a day at a time. My friend is looking for a place yet but with a smile. As he said. "I will be content in all things and trust God for my daily bread.

I have a lot to learn!

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

¹ The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
³     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
⁴ Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

 

He's not homeless in God's eyes. The Shepherd has him.

 

By the way this man was mentioned a few months ago in this blog. He is the song writer who wrote "The Least of These". I added one of the lines from his song below.  Have a great day. Pray for someone. 

Marty

 



The Least of These

 

He didn't ask for this.

This wasn't his dream.

To reach out his hand, and ask every man for a small offering.

The clothes that he wears around someone threw away

The food that he eats, he calls it a feast.

He found in the trash today.

 

Chorus

And he is the least of these.

He has his own name.

He is someone that God's only Son Came here to save.

What are we doing to reach him?

How are we meeting his needs?

Cuz whatever we do for him,

We do for our King.

 

Deer Season in Wisconsin and the Bible. 11/19/13

Good Morning,

Tuesday and my day started real early. So my cup is filled with Door County Pumpkin Spice Coffee and a prayer on my lips sends me off to begin a new day.

This weekend the Wisconsin Rifle Deer season will begin. The "army of orange" will hit the woods. I have enjoyed many a season waiting and watching for that big buck that would fill my freezer and hang on my wall. I have pretty much resigned myself to bird hunting and waterfowl now. As I look over my shoulder I see my deer rifles in the locker. There are many fond memories of family and friends that I hunted with. Some now are gone to be with our Lord. So I have a soft spot for the deer hunters of my memory. We had a lot of fun. I would do it all again.

Later in life I received Jesus Christ as Savior. Deer hunting can be a lot of sitting and waiting. Some how the waiting and watching became more fun after receiving Jesus into my heart. I found that during those long hours of the hunt I had more time to pray for others. I started to place a small Bible into my hunters seat. ( a pail with a lid) I still have that Bible. (1981) Once the sun came up I would pull the Bible out and read it, listen for God, pray and read some more. Quite often I would be interrupted by a deer that I harvested. But I so looked forward to seeing the beauty of nature and spending long hours with God. The Bible pages were stained from snow flakes, rain, and an occasional tear. To tell you the truth there were times that I am sure deer walked by and I did not see them because I just could not put down the Word of God and close out our time together. I often duck hunt alone and do the same thing.

Friends, there are 66 books in the Bible. I believe in each one as the inspired word of my Holy Father in Heaven. There is not one chapter, one verse, one word that I do not believe came from God. I believe it has the power to touch lives, heal wounded hearts and be used by the Holy Spirit to lead people to Jesus. I believe I can find instructions for living in the Bible.

Pull yours off the shelf, dust it off, open it up and expect it to be alive. Expect it to teach you, correct you, direct you, challenge you, deliver a message of love and hope form the Father, give you hope and courage. After all it is God speaking to you from His word.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God^[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Enjoy some time in God's word. It's OK to binge read.

God bless,
Marty

Thanksgiving Shopping 11/18/13

Good Morning.

Monday!!!!!! Where did the weekend go?  Starting the morning with a cup of Door County Apple Cobbler Coffee.

Crazy weekend for my area of Wisconsin. Yesterday we had high winds with tornadoes spotted. Not the norm. But what is the norm, is that every other television commercial and newspaper advertisement is talking about "Black Friday". Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and is known for stores opening early and prices being slashed. In many instances people would wait in line from 4 AM until 6 AM when the store would open and they would all rush for the bargains which were often very good but supplies limited. In the past few years people have been trampled even unto death.  Now there's something no one bargained for. I have to say that this custom has reached a point of ridiculousness and should be stopped. It is no longer Biblical when people are hurt or killed. I would myself say "murdered in the name of greed". This is a sin.

Luke 6:31 (NIV)

³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Would you really want to die for a new Smart Phone? No, and no one else should. 

Now we see the next step in greed. Many companies are now opening on Thanksgiving and starting the sales hysteria a day early. This is a day when we should slow down and thank God for all we have and enjoy. We should spend time with family and friends, open our homes to others or serve the less fortunate. Who would want a gift so bad that others would leave God time and family time to shop. Again not Biblical.     This is sin.

Exodus 20:1-15             

And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,

Must our greed be more important that our time to be thankful and enjoy the company of others? Our greed for giving great gifts has become idols in our lives.

Proverbs 15:27
A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates greed will live.

Hey go out and seek bargains on the Friday after Thanksgiving, but within reason. Maybe if we all stayed home on Thanksgiving the stores would just lower the prices for the weekend and let their employees have the day off.

Think about it. Do unto others!

God bless,
Marty

Surviving Rough Water 11/17/13

Good Afternoon.

Sorry this is late and that I missed yesterday. I should be back to normal by tomorrow and on schedule. My coffee this morning was Door County Coconut Crush.

Yesterday I had the wonderful experience to spend time duck hunting with my Nephew Nick and my dog Fritz. We were hunting deep water diver ducks and had to set up on a lake. This lake is notorious for getting rough and nasty in a hurry. That is exactly what happened yesterday. We had to pick up our decoys in a hurry and take off for the landing across the lake. the wind was not cooperating. I do enough duck hunting to know that at times like these what needs to be done is "focus". Focus on the shore and a fixed object and do not take your eyes off of that goal. Stay on course and concentrate. That method delivered us right where we needed to be.

Life is the same way. We have days that just seem to be like one storm after another.

Fortunately we have Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith. He tells us to focus on Him and he will be our light in the storm. Our port on the sea.

Colossians 3:2                     
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Look for Jesus in the storm.

God bless,
Marty

Peanut Butter and Jelly, God's Way for Marriage 11/15/13

Good Morning,

Friday once again. Boy that week went by quick. This morning I have started out my day with prayer and a hot cup of Door County Blueberry Cobbler Coffee.

 Matthew 19:4-6 NIV
"Haven't you read," he replied, " that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, " For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh" So they are no longer two but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.

I was thinking about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich yesterday (PBJ). I prefer the chunky peanut butter with apple cinnamon jelly on two slices of white bread. I am not very fond of orange marmalade in place of my favorite jelly. Peanut butter and jelly has to be on both pieces of the bread. This is a gourmet PBJ.

I don't know about you but I have tried to make a PBJ in the dark. Let me tell you what happened. I thought that I had taken the apple cinnamon jelly, but by accident had grabbed the orange marmalade. Not one to waste food I developed a plan that any man would have been proud of. I tried wiping the orange marmalade off of the peanut butter and put it back into it's jar. Well that stupid marmalade stuck to the peanut butter and now I had mixed the two and there was peanut butter in the marmalade jar. This would be evidence that would convict me of late night snacking and my CSI wife would know what I had been up to. Well I was convinced that the sandwich was worth it and that I could do the time for the crime and antique shopping was not all that bad.  So my plan continued and I added apple cinnamon to the bread slices. BUT ARGH I now had orange marmalade residue still on my peanut butter and it mixed with the apple cinnamon jelly to make a taste worthy of attracting skunks. This stuff was like glue!

That story reminds me of marriage and how God has created it to be holy, intimate, and forever. Husbands and wives are to be like a PBJ. Smooth (I am a little bit chunky and she is real sweet) together and taste good. Our marriages are to honor God. We are to be there for each other. We are to rub off on each other making each other a better person for having been attached to us. And nothing should separate us.  Think about it. Is she the jelly belly in you life? Is he the chunky hunk of yours? God put you together forever. Tell your spouse today. "You are the other half of my sandwich".

God bless,
Marty

Mr. Potato Head 11/14/13

Good Morning.

 

I am hot on today's trail with a good cup of Door County Maple Coffee in my hand.

 

If you are my age you will remember this.

 

This is the original potato head game. You actually used a potato and adorned it with things from the game box and created funny looking potato men and women. I loved this game as a kid. Of course we did not play it too often because it wasted food.

 

I remember making my best potato head face and body ever. The potato was perfect and the end result was hilarious. I decided to keep it. But after a few days the potato started to ooze liquid and began to smell funny. Within a week my artwork was shriveled and smelled even worse. You see the tater head I created was dead. It did not have life and it stunk. God has created us all to be alive in Him and use our gifts that He has given us. Those saved in Jesus Christ have been given spiritual gifts. And they should be used.

 

Galatians 5:22-23

New King James Version (NKJV)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

 

 

Christians who do not exercise their spiritual gifts are lazy and out of shape spiritually. They get crabby and complacent. They then begin to stink up their lives and the lives of others. Just like a rotten potato does for the whole tater sack.

 

We need to be a sweet aroma to those we meet, work with, worship with and live with.

 

Come on. Don't be a Potato  Head.

 

God bless,

Marty

 

Stormy Kromer Caps and a God Fearing Man

Good Morning.

Sure is cold here in Wisconsin for November. That just means that I have to break out the Door County Highlander Grog Coffee, preheat my cup and enjoy the warmth it provides. It also means one other thing. It is time to break out my wool hat. My wool hat is not an ordinary hat. Not many men have one. Actually not many men want one. I wear a Stormy Kromer hat! Now what does that have to do with a Christian Devotional? Not a whole lot. But here are a few things this man does. When I pray my hat comes off. While our national anthem is sung or the pledge of allegiance recited, my hat comes off. My hat is off in church, I do not sit and eat with my hat on, and I tip my hat to acknowledge a lady. So guys no matter what hat you wear, wear it right. Man up fellas! Take them off when the time is right.  Ladies set those guys straight.

1 Corinthians 11:4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head,

Stormy Kromer www.stormykromer.com/ They are the official winter hat for this Schutte Man.


The History Behind the Legend of Stormy Kromer

George "Stormy" Kromer was a real guy - a semi-pro baseball player and railroad engineer. Not the kind of guy you'd expect to start a clothing company, in other words, but one who happened to create a cap that became known for long-comfort and the ability to stay snug, even in the fiercest winds.

This final feature, in fact, is the reason he made his famous headgear in the first place, but we'll get to that in a bit.

Mr. Kromer, known as "Stormy" to the folks who knew his temper, was born in 1876 in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. He grew up with baseball and would eventually play on nearly 30 semi-pro teams throughout the Midwest. He might have continued to play that field, too, but he met Ida, and before Ida's father would allow her hand in marriage, our ballplayer needed to find real work.

That meant the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad and long, cold trips across the plains. Stormy was an engineer, and to see where he was headed, he had to stick his head out the window - into the wind. Mother Nature stole his cap more than once, and as the story goes, he set out to get her back.

In 1903, he asked Ida (now his wife and an excellent seamstress) to modify an old baseball cap to help keep it on in windy weather. The all-cloth cap with the soft, canvas visor was a departure from the traditional fedoras of the day, but it was more comfortable and because of it's six-panel fit, it stayed put.

Soon other railroad workers wanted one of Stormy Kromer's caps for themselves, and when Ida could no longer keep up with demand, they hired a few employees and the business was born.

A lot of things have changed since those first few caps - new colors, new fabrics, new styles - but we haven't changed the way we make 'em. They're hand-stitched right here in the good old U-S-of-A, and they're still made to fit better than anything you've had next to your noggin. Stormy Kromer caps are true to the original, and that means you get all the comfort and function that made them famous.

Wear one, and you'll know what we mean.

God Bless,
Marty

If I died and went to hell who would care? 11/12/13

Good Morning World,

Two things on my mind this morning as I sip on a hot cup of Door County Pumpkin Spice Coffee.

#1 I want to thank all our American Veterans for their Service to our country. 11/11 was Veterans day. Without them I might not be free to write this blog.

#2 Let's remember the Philippine Islands in our prayers.

Ever ask yourself this question. If I died and went to hell who would care? I have.

Here are the answers.

John 3:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.   God Cares.

Matthew 18:11 (NKJV)

¹¹ For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. Jesus Cares

Luke 15:7 (NKJV)

⁷ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. All People In Heaven Care

Revelation 22:17 (NKJV)

¹⁷ And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely  All Saved People In Jesus Care

Luke 16:19-31 (NKJV)

The Rich Man and Lazarus

¹⁹ “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. ²⁰ But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, ²¹ desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell^[a] from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
²⁴ “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ ²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
²⁷ “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, ²⁸ for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ ²⁹ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ ³⁰ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ ³¹ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’” All People In Hell Care.

Romans 1:16 (NKJV)

The Just Live by Faith

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,^[a] for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. I Care!

But Do You Care Where You go? Do You Care Where Others Spend Eternity?

Only you can answer that question?.

Have a great day,

Marty