Putting Lipstick On A Pig

Good Morning,

Friday once more. How could we get more Fridays? My coffee this morning is Door County Cherry Crème.

Acts 17:30(NLT)

³⁰ “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.

I had the great experience several years ago to hunt wild boar with a friend of mine. We were both blessed to take home a big old boar. It was a guided hunt. We were warned by our guide just how dangerous a boar could be, especially when wounded. Once my boar was shot and I approached it I could not get over just how mean and ugly it looked. It now rests on the wall of my den. Each year at Christmas my wife puts a Santa hat on it to amuse herself and have Porky blend in with the holiday décor. No matter how she decorates him he is still one ugly dude. It's like putting lipstick on a pig. They only thing that makes them look better is barbecue sauce. All the decorations or lipstick still cannot hide the ugliness and nastiness.

Many of us look at sin the same way. We try to dress it up, disguise it, justify it or call it by another name. No matter how you look at it, deep down inside it is still ugly and has a name that cannot be changed. Sin is sin. Wrong is wrong. Ugly is ugly.

But, how ugly is sin to God? If we were to review the synonyms of sin, which God moved holy men to write about, we could not remain in doubt of the answer.  It is “sin” (an offense, guilt before God, miss the mark, an aberration or deviance), “transgression” (fall by the wayside, errors and faults with consequences), “iniquity” (injustice, wrong, not in harmony with righteousness), “error” (perversity, wickedness, wander out of the right way), “ungodly” (godless, without fear of God, actively opposed to God), “evil” (corrupt, malicious), and the like.  God likens it to a spot or blemish (2 Pt. 2:13), an illness (Mt. 9:12), and even a death (Eph. 2:1).  God tells us most clearly how ugly it is to Him when He says He cannot even look at it (Hab. 1:13).  Sin is so unsightly to God that He offered His most precious gift to satisfy His perfect justice regarding it (Rom. 8:3).  God does not indulge, tolerate, or “wink” at it (Acts 17:30).

If one puts drain cleaner into a beverage glass, does it turn into a Pepsi or Coke? No it is still poison. We need to get real and call wrong actions, bad attitudes, lust, anger etc, just what it is "sin".

Sin poisons our relationships with others and most of all God.

Colossians 1:21-22 (NLT)

²¹ This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. ²² Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.

 

Well I'm not sure that one can ever say enough about the evil people like to keep in their lives and call it other things. I guess they feel they can put lipstick on a pig and it will look like a butterfly.

 

Have a great day.

Marty

Saying Good Bye To Old Friends 2/27/14

Good Morning,

A big steaming cup of Door County Pumpkin Spice Coffee graces my hand with it's presence this morning as I leave for work.

Recently I made a job change. I was able to stay in the same organization and accept a transfer back to the city and a bigger hospital. Since 2002 I had been working in the rural areas of Wisconsin in a great hospital system. In the smaller hospitals it became very easy to become more than co-workers. You were family. You celebrated births, mourned funerals, enjoyed holidays, worked hard together and enjoyed one another. I am sure with a little time I will enjoy that same luxury in the bigger city hospital.

Many of my former work family members had asked if I would come back for a couple of hours to say good bye. Last night was the night. It was bitter sweet. We have been through a lot together. They all wished me well, asked questions about the new job, laughed about old times, and hugged. It was very nice. They asked me to make a little speech before I left. I desired not to do that. I wanted to address each one individually and thank them for all they had done for me. But today I will give them the speech they deserve, but use the words of the Apostle Paul. I know several of them read this, and one for sure will pass this on. My own words would never be able to express how I feel about them. But this says it best.

Philippians 1:3-7 (NIV)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴ In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵ because of your partnership in our work from the first day until now, ⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
⁷ It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart.

Philippians 4:8-9(NIV)

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

God bless you all. If you are ever in need, or are in the neighborhood. Well, the porch light is always on for you. You are loved.

Marty

Love for Animals 2/26/14

Good Morning,

Wednesday and my coffee this morning is Door County German Chocolate.
Over the last two weeks I have been watching the 2014 Winter Olympics. I caught the story about the American Athlete who found some puppies and their mother needing a home while in Russia for the games. Of course with me being a dog owner I could not help but identify with his love for puppies. It was awesome to hear that he was bringing them home.

I have two dogs. One older one and one almost two year old puppy. They are totally dependent upon my wife and I for their care. God does have something to say about caring for animals. That is what is so great about God's word the Bible. It has an answer for every subject.

Proverbs 27:23 ESV          
Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds,

Proverbs 12:10 ESV     
Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.

It's nice to know that we can find direction for everything in the Bible.

God Bless,
Marty

What Is a Total Loser? 2/7/17

Good Morning,

I believe Tuesday will lead to Wednesday and then we are half way to Saturday. My coffee this morning is Door County Heavenly Caramel.

I heard someone this week say that they felt like a total loser. I asked this person why he felt that way. He is in his mid forties and replied quickly "I have nothing to show for my forty years".

I took stock of what he has.  Beautiful kids. 1 beautiful wife, a house, a car and a job. Now for sure this fella would like a newer and bigger home, a big truck, and aging to stop. But he has lost focus. All this could be taken from him in a moment. His focus is on Earthly things not on what is important. The things of Earth have clouded his ability to see the blessings that many folks wish they had, and he possesses.

When we talk like this we are practicing self hatred. We must not allow ourselves or our fellows in Christ to be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow (2 Corinthians 2:7). We must quickly forgive ourselves and restore other repentant sinners. Having repented, we must trust God, who is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). We must hate sin, but not hate ourselves, for we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. To continue in a state of self-hatred after we have received the grace God offers us does not honor God and demonstrates a failure to understand the nature and value of the salvation Jesus purchased for us with His blood (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Satan works hard to discourage us and take us down paths we have no business going. He lies and tells us that we are losers in life. And that we should travel a different path.

John 8:44
"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

You are not a loser. God made you, one of a kind. You have a Designer label.

Have a great day

Marty

When a Man Loves a Woman 2/24/14

Good Morning,

I am headed to work early as is my custom for Mondays. My coffee today is Door County Highlander Grog. It is cold and spring seems to be eluding us.

I was away this past weekend on a trip to visit my Dad. I traveled with my brother and his two sons. We went on a 5 hour journey to the frozen tundra of Michigan to shovel off Dad's roofs and enjoy some time with Dad and Grandpa. My wife Rene stayed home with the dogs.

We sure had a good time in Michigan. It was a lot of work, but yet we had some time for a little fun. My nephew Matt is a gifted high school football player. But you can ask him what it is like to play football against his old linebacker uncle. His butt found the snow bank real quick. We laughed and just enjoyed every moment. But for me there were two things missing. We all talked about the sledding hill and how grandma would ride down it on her sled. She passed away a few years ago. Mom really enjoyed sledding. We were then recalling the night Rene tried it and crashed on the first run.

Genesis 2:24 ESV         
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

That's what was missing. Nana and Rene. A mom is always a boy's first love. And then he moves on to a wife. I know my Dad was thinking about Mom and missing her. I missed my mother and my wife. It was a great time. But there was that little something missing. I guess, that's what happens when a man loves a woman.

Love your wife, spend time with your mom while you can.

God bless,
Marty

Removing Snow From the Roof. 2/23/14

Good Afternoon,

Sunday and it is the Lord's Day. I missed posting the blog yesterday and I am late today. I took a little time off to visit my Dad in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan this weekend. No Door County Coffee for two days. I will make up for it tomorrow. I traveled with my brother Jim, and his two sons Nick and Matt. Our goal was to surprise our Dad by showing up on Saturday morning. It is about a five to six hour drive from our homes. We traveled Friday night and hunkered down in a cabin for the night. We wanted to visit and also shovel the snow off of the roofs of his home and garage.  This winter has been long and the snow was standing about three feet deep on the roofs. we did exactly that a pulled off the surprise of the year. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.

Nick, Matt and I dressed for the cold and snow, went up the ladder and started. At first we were all removing snow, but it seemed like we were not organized. This was apparent when we would occasionally receive a face full of snow that was accidentally tossed over a shoulder in the wrong direction. It seemed as if we were trying to produce our own Three Stooges Movie.

We stopped and hatched a plan. This plan was synchronized and all went smooth. A large task was done in a relatively short time, without an incident. I thought about it later and said to myself that I was going to look up a Bible verse for teamwork and organization. Where we went wrong at first was to not lay out a plan. We just went up on the roof and had at it. Our plan gave us direction. Matt is a young athlete and is more nimble. He worked the edges. I am a lot safer around electrical wires so I worked the section where the power lines came through. Nick is as strong as an ox and he moved tons of snow. We used each other's gifts to work together and to be safe.  By the way, my brother has a bad shoulder and could not work outside. He stayed in and helped our Dad whip up a kitchen specialty. It was a great weekend. We are tired and sore, but we all sure enjoyed ourselves.

         
 Proverbs 11:14 ESV          
Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

God bless,
Marty

He Talks In The Garden. 2/21/14

Good Morning.

Oh Friday how I love you! My coffee this morning is Door County Pumpkin Spice. I went to bed thinking how good it was going to taste on a cold windy day.

We are finishing off the week with looking into one of my all time favorite Old Christian Hymns of Faith. In the Garden has always touched my heart. No laughing but I have actually sung this in church for the congregation. No one threw a Bible at me during the song, so it couldn't have been too bad.

In the Garden.

Here is the account of how this beautiful hymn was written from the hymn writer, C. Austin Miles, himself, “One day in April, 1912, I was seated in the dark room where I kept my photographic equipment, and also my organ. I drew my Bible toward me and it opened at my favorite book and chapter, John chapter twenty. I don’t know if this was by chance or by the work of the Holy Spirit. I will let you the reader decide. That story of Jesus and Mary in John 20 had lost none of its power and charm.
It was though I was in a trance, as I read it that day, I seemed to be part of the scene. I became a silent witness to that dramatic moment in Mary’s life, when she knelt before her Lord and cried, “Rabboni”. I rested my hands on the open Bible, as I stared at the light blue wall. As the light faded, I seemed to be standing at the entrance of a garden, looking down a gently winding path, shaded by olive branches. A woman in white, with head bowed, hand clasping her throat, as if to choke back her sobs, walked slowly into the shadows. It was Mary. As she came unto the tomb, upon which she placed her hand, she bent over to look in, and ran away.
John, in a flowing robe, appeared looking at the tomb. Then came Peter, who entered the tomb, followed slowly by John. As they departed, Mary reappeared leaning her head upon her arm at the tomb, she wept. Turning herself, she saw Jesus standing there, so did I. I knew it was He. She knelt before Him, with arms outstretched, and looking into His face cried, “Rabboni”.
I awakened in sunlight, gripping my Bible with my muscles tense, and nerves vibrating, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I wrote as quickly as the words could be formed the lyrics exactly as it is sung today. That same evening, I wrote the tune. It is sung today as it was written in 1912.”

Dear Friends.,
This song always reminds me of my closest times with Jesus. I believe Jesus speaks through His word and during times of prayer and fasting. Those times are precious to me.

John 10:27 New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁷ My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

IN THE GARDEN
Verse 1
I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses.
And the voice I hear Falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
Chorus
And He walks with me and He talks with
me
And He tells me I am His own,
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known.
Verse 2
He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody, that He gave to me,
Within my heart is ringing.
Chorus
Verse 3
I’d stay in the garden with Him,
Though the night around me be falling
But He bids me go, through the voice of
woe,
His voice to me is calling.
Chorus

Have a great weekend. Love to all.

Marty

I'll Fly Away. 2/19/14

Good Morning,

My coffee this morning is Door County Jamaican Me Crazy. Yesterday I celebrated 57 years of life. I have had a full life and have been blessed in many ways. As I get older I see myself slowing down a little. Hunting lasts longer now. How is that? The aches and pains take longer to heal up. So I remember the hunt longer.

But from time to time I find myself yearning for heaven. I am quite happy and content but as I get older I think about heaven more. This week we are looking at Old Christian Hymns of Faith. Today we will look at the hymn "Ill Fly Away".

I'll Fly Away!

Alfred E. Brumley was picking cotton one hot Oklahoma day in the fields of the cotton farm (he was born in 1905) singing "IF I Had the Wings of an Angel", a popular song over the radio at the time.

Now if I had the wings of an angel
Over these prison walls I would fly,
I'd fly to the arms of my poor darling,
And there I'd be willing to die.

The thought of flying away from the cotton fields mixed with his faith combined together then and he began composing "I'll Fly Away" there on the spot. He then stashed the song away in one of his drawers or boxes along with the other gospel songs he had been composing.

Two years later, Albert married Goldie Schell, whom he met while teaching a singing school in Powell, Missouri. Her encouragement led Albert to mail "I'll Fly Away" to the Hartford Music Company. It was published in 1932. Shortly afterward, Hartford hired Albert for $12.50 a month. After 35 years of working for the Hatford and Stamps/Baxter companies, he formed the Albert E. Brumley & Sons Music Company.

Albert wrote over 800 songs and would become one of the most respected names in the development of twentieth-century southern gospel music.

I'll Fly Away
(Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. John 16:22)

Some glad morning when this life is o'er, I'll fly away;
To a home on God's celestial shore, I'll fly away.

Refrain:
I'll fly away, O glory, I'll fly away;
When I die, hallelujah, by and by, I'll fly away.

When the shadows of this life have gone, I'll fly away;
Like a bird from prison bars has flown, I'll fly away.

Refrain

Just a few more weary days and then, I'll fly away;
To a land where joys shall never end, I'll fly away.

Refrain
Repeat
When I die, hallelujah, by and by, I'll fly away.

Amen Dear Friends. I'll Fly Away
Marty

What a Friend We Have In Jesus. 2/19/14

Good Morning,

It's a special day for me and that calls for a special cup of coffee. This morning I will enjoy a cup of Door County Cherry Crème.

We continue today to look at some old Christian hymns of the faith. I have to tell you that most of these are favorites of mine. When I want to praise God, when I am down, or when I feel that life just needs a song, I sing old hymns. Dear Friends Sing!!!!!

Singing has a very definite place in worshipping God in spirit and in truth. We glorify God in our singing praises to His name.   "And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives"; (2) Acts 16:25, "But at midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God"; (3) Romans 15:9, "For this reason I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name"; (4) 1 Corinthians 14:15, "I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding"; (5) Ephesians 5:19, "Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord"; (6) Colossians 3:16, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord"; (7) Hebrews 2:12, "In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You"; (8) Hebrews 13:15, "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name"; (9) James 5:13, "Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing psalms."

Today I choose to focus on a song that I can relate to in a big way.
What a Friend We have in Jesus.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus, the Song and the Story

Composer Joseph M. Scriven Writes What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Irish born Joseph M. Scriven (1819-1896) was 25 years old, in love and to be married. The day before his wedding his fiance died in a tragic drowning accident. Heartbroken, Joseph sailed from his homeland to start a new life in Canada. While in Canada working as a teacher, he fell in love again and became engaged to Eliza Roche, a relative of one of his students. Once again, Joseph's hopes and dreams were shattered when Eliza became ill and died before the wedding could take place.

Although one can only imagine the turmoil within this young man, history tells us that his faith in God sustained him. Soon after Eliza's death Joseph joined the Plymouth Brethren and began preaching for a Baptist church. He never married, but spent the remainder of his life giving all his time, money and even the clothes off his own back to help the less fortunate and to spread the love and compassion of Jesus wherever he went.

Around the same time that Eliza died, Joseph received word from Ireland that his mother was ill. He could not go to be with her, so he wrote a letter of comfort and enclosed one of his poems entitled What a Friend We Have in Jesus.

Many years later a friend was sitting with Joseph, as he was very ill. During this visit, the friend was very impressed when he ran across his poems, including What a Friend We Have in Jesus. As a result of this visit, almost 30 years after his letter of comfort to his mother, Joseph's poems were published in a book called Hymns and Other Verses. Soon thereafter, noted musician Charles C. Converse (1834-1918) put music to one of those poems: What a Friend We Have in Jesus.
Well-known musician and revivalist Ira D. Sankey (1840-1908) was a great admirer of Joseph Scriven. In 1875, Sankey came upon the music and words for What a Friend We Have in Jesus. He included it as the last entry into his well-known publication Sankey's Gospel Hymns Number 1.

After Joseph Scriven's death, the citizens of Port Hope, Ontario, Canada, where he gave so much of himself, erected a monument to his life. The seemingly sad and obscure life of one man resulted in so many lives being uplifted, both in his own time, and for many years after whenever the beautiful and comforting words of What a Friend We Have in Jesus are sung.

 

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He'll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” ( John 15:13)

 

God Bless,

Marty

 

How Great Thou Art! 2/18/14

Good Morning,

I feel like I need to have the Door County Highlander Grog Coffee just a little hotter today than usual. We were buried in another snow storm yesterday and I think I froze my brain. No comments please.

We will continue to look at Old Christian Hymns of praise today. Every time I sing this song I can't help but feel great pride in being a child of the only God.

Jeremiah 10:6 There is none like You, O LORD; You are great, and great is Your name in might           

 

 

THE STORY OF. . . .

HOW GREAT THOU ART

In response to requests from many lands for an authoritative account of how this hymn came to be written, the following has been compiled by the writer, Stuart K. Hine, and by the publisher, Manna Music, Inc.
In 1885, a Swedish preacher, by the name of Carl Boberg, at age 26, wrote the words only of a poem entitled, “O Store Gud”. Boberg’s poem was published in 1886. The title, “O Store Gud”, translated into English is “O Great God”. A fairly literal translation from Swedish into English, of the first verse and refrain of “O Store Gud”, is as follows:

O, GREAT GOD!

When I the world consider
Which Thou has made by Thine almighty Word
And how the webb of life Thy wisdom guideth
And all creation feedeth at Thy board.
Refrain:
Then doth my soul burst forth in song of praise
Oh, great God
Oh, great God.
The translation from Swedish to English is obviously different from the words we are familiar with today, as found in Stuart K. Hine’s words of HOW GREAT THOU ART. Carl Boberg wrote this poem with no thought of it becoming a hymn. He did not write any music to the text. After publication, the poem was apparently forgotten, but several years later, Boberg attended a meeting and was surprised to hear his poem being sung to the tune of an old Swedish melody. This original melody was different from the arranged melody made by Stuart K. Hine and copyrighted in 1949 and 1953.
In the early 1920’s, English missionaries, Mr. Stuart K. Hine and his wife, ministered in Poland. It was there they learned the Russian version of Boberg’s poem, “O Store Gud”, coupled with the original Swedish melody. Later, under inspiration, Stuart K. Hine wrote original English words, and made his own arrangement of the Swedish melody, which became popular and is now known as the hymn, HOW GREAT THOU ART.

The first three verses were inspired, line upon line, amidst unforgettable experiences in the Carpathian Mountains. In a village to which he had climbed, Mr. Hine stood in the street singing a Gospel hymn and reading aloud “John, Chapter Three”. Among the sympathetic listeners was a local village schoolmaster. A storm was gathering, and when it was evident that no further travel could be made that night, the friendly schoolmaster offered his hospitality. Awe-inspiring was the mighty thunder echoing through the mountains, and it was this impression that was to bring about the birth of the first verse.
Pushing on, Mr. Hine crossed the mountain frontier into Romania and into Bukovina. Together with some young people, through the woods and forest glades he wandered, and heard the birds sing sweetly in the trees. Thus, the second verse came into being.
Verse three was inspired through the conversion of many of the Carpathian mountain-dwellers. The fourth Verse did not come about until Mr. Hine’s return to Britain.
During the summer of 1954, Dr. J. Edwin Orr introduced HOW GREAT THOU ART to a college-age conference at a church camp known as Forest Home in California. (Prior to that conference, in April, Dr. Orr had heard Naga Tribespeople from Assam sing HOW GREAT THOU ART and intended to use the hymn in his meetings in the United States.)
Dr. Orr’s theme for the week of the conference was “Think not what great things you can do for God, but think first of whatever you can do for a great God.” And so he introduced the song at the start of the conference and it was sung each day. Attending the Forest Home college-age conference were Hal Spencer and his sister, Loretta, son and daughter of Tim Spencer who was a songwriter and publisher of Christian music. Hal and Loretta borrowed the song sheet from Dr. Orr and brought it home and gave it to their father. He contacted Stuart K. Hine and the publishing rights were granted to Manna Music, Inc.
The first major American recording of HOW GREAT THOU ART was by Bill Carle, followed by The Spencer Family, and then by George Beverly Shea, soloist for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The Western singing group, The Sons of the Pioneers, recorded it soon thereafter.
HOW GREAT THOU ART, by Stuart K. Hine, as published by Manna Music, Inc., became the best-loved hymn of the Billy Graham Crusades. They used it over and over again. In New York, in 1957, it was used more than 100 times by George Beverly Shea and the Crusade Choir in 119 meetings. In 1959, it became the theme of Billy Graham’s “Hour of Decision” weekly radio broadcast.
HOW GREAT THOU ART has been named in numerous polls as the number one hymn in Britain and America. It is considered to be the most recorded Gospel song by major Gospel artists, as well as many secular artists. It has received two Grammy Awards.
HOW GREAT THOU ART has been performed in Broadway productions in New York, and on the London stage. In the mid 1970’s, HOW GREAT THOU ART received an award for one million performances on radio and television, and was also named, in 1978 by ASCAP, as “The All-Time Outstanding Gospel Song” in America.
Lawrence Welk has been quoted as saying, “Of all the songs, both religious and secular, HOW GREAT THOU ART was the most requested song for our television program.”
There have been over seventeen hundred documented recordings of HOW GREAT THOU ART. It has been used on major television programs, in major motion pictures, and has been named as the favorite Gospel song of at least three United States’ presidents.

Billy Graham gave Mr. Stuart K. Hine permission to quote his reaction to the hymn: “The reason I like HOW GREAT THOU ART is because it glorifies God. It turns Christian’s eyes toward God, rather than upon themselves. I use it as often as possible because it is such a God-honoring song.”

God Bless,
Marty

How Great Thou Art Lyrics

Oh Lord, my God
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works
Thy hands have made

I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout
The universe displayed

Then sings my soul
My Savior, God, to Thee
How great thou Art
How great thou Art

Then sings my soul
My Savior, God, to Thee
How great thou Art
How great thou Art

When Christ shall come
With shouts of adulation
And take me home
What joy shall fill my heart?

Then I shall bow
In humble adoration
And there proclaim, my God
How great Thou Art

Then sings my soul
My Savior, God, to Thee
How great thou Art
How great thou Art

Then sings my soul
My Savior, God, to Thee
How great thou Art
How great thou Art

How great Thou Art
How great Thou Art

Who Am I? 2/16/14

Good Morning,

Monday crept in again. So here we go out the door with a cup of Door County White Christmas Coffee in my hand.
This week I want to devote 5 days to looking at Old Christian Hymns of Faith? I believe we can look at them, ask some questions, answer some questions and enjoy their lyrics.

Who Am I?

When I think of how He came so far from glory
Came to dwell among the lowly such as I
To suffer shame and such disgrace
On Mount Calvary take my place
Then I ask myself this question
Who am I?
Who am I that The King would bleed and die for?
Who am I that He would pray not my will, Thine Lord?
The answer I may never know
Why He ever loved me so
That to an old rugged cross He’d go
For who am I?
When I’m reminded of His words
I’ll leave you never
If you’ll be true I’ll give to you life forever
Oh I wonder what I could have done
To deserve God’s only Son
To fight my battles until they’re won
For who am I?
Who am I that The King would bleed and die for
Who am I that He would pray not my will, Thine Lord
The answer I may never know
Why He ever loved me so
That to an old rugged cross He’d go
For who am I?

“On Mount Calvary take my place” – Do you find it easy or hard to relate to this verse in the song? Do you  say to yourself – “I am not a crook. I am not a murderer. I am not sure if I would have deserved a punishment like that.” I am afraid that we  have taken our sin too lightly if we think that. Mount Calvary was a punishment for sinners, for lawbreakers, for the wretched and the wicked. The Bible says that “there is none righteous, no not one.”

The Bible says:

Romans 3:23 (NKJV)

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

The Bible tells us “our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities.” God is holy. His judgment is always righteous. His punishment of sin is required. We deserved Calvary with all its shame, and pain, and humiliation, but receive Christ and all His benefits. He did take our place that day 2,000 years ago.

All this tells me that Jesus loves me enough to die for me. But yet the question, who am I that He would die for me? We are God's creations and God desires that none should perish. So He sent His Son to pay our way back to the Father. Who am I? Some one God loves that much.

2 Peter 3:9 (ESV)

⁹ The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,^[a] not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

John 3:16 (ESV)

For God So Loved the World

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world,^[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

That's who we are.? Humbling isn't it?

God bless.
Marty

Reunions in Heaven ? 2/16/14

Good Morning,

My coffee today is Door County German Chocolate. I will be eating a little Racine Danish Kringle for breakfast also. Great way to start a day.

Last night in our Saturday Evening Service at Faith Bible Church, Greenfield, Wisconsin a friend of mine who used to attend our church came back to perform a small concert for us. He is a gifted, singer, song writer, and musician.  He came back for a one night gig. It was like old times. He along with quite a few of us worked as youth leaders for the teens for many, many years. We loved to listen to him sing and play the piano. I started to think about how old we are getting and what a great reunion it will be in heaven some day with all the former teens and leaders. But then I thought how will I find them all? Reverend Billy Graham has some thoughts on the subject in which I totally agree.

By Billy Graham, Christian Post Guest Columnist

December 29, 2008|11:33 am

Q: Do you believe that we'll be reunited with our loved ones when we get to heaven? I deeply hope we will be, but with all the millions and millions of people up there, how will we ever find them? Maybe I shouldn't worry about this but I do. - Mrs. R.E.
A: Yes, I firmly believe we will be reunited with those who have died in Christ and entered heaven before us. I often recall King David's words after the death of his infant son: "I will go to him, but he will not return to me" (2 Samuel 12:23). This truth has become even more precious to me since the death of my dear wife, Ruth, a year and a half ago.
And, yes, there will be a vast number of people in heaven, for every person through the ages who has trusted Christ for their salvation will be there. The Bible says that because of Christ's death for us, heaven will be filled with "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb (Christ)" (Revelation 7:9).
But you shouldn't worry about getting lost, or never finding your loved ones in heaven - not at all. If God brought you together on this earth - out of all the billions of people who live here now - will He be able to bring you together in heaven? Of course.
Never forget: Heaven is a place of supreme joy - and one of its joys will be our reunion with our loved ones. But heaven's greatest joy will be our reunion with Christ, our Savior and Lord. Is your hope and trust in Him?

I hope this helps you see the importance that we tell others about Jesus and how He saves. The alternative to heaven is hell and we won't want a reunion there, now would we?

God bless,
Marty

For Better Or Worse 12/15/2014

Good Evening,

Running way late today.  My day started early this morning with guiding a pheasant hunt and then church soon after the hunt was done. I did however start my day with some Door County Pumpkin Spice Coffee.

Yesterday we celebrated Valentines Day. So I guess this message is for those who are married or will be married. Valentines day will always be the holiday for love. Couples exchange card and in many instances small or lavish gifts. I think that it is a very nice way to say that the other person in your life is loved.

But let's take a moment to really look at loving another person in marriage. Most wedding vows have some form of the words, "For better or worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, until death do we part".

We will take a peek to  discuss for better or worse which seems to also cover the rest. When we truly love someone we see them at their worst  and we see them at their best. It could be at their sickest day when you hold them while they vomit. Or it could be at their best when they receive a promotion at work. Each relationship has two people with faults and most people never really change. So when the other person after many years still squeezes the tooth paste from the middle of the tube, is it a big enough deal to even mention it? We choose to say "I do". The I do means that we will love them despite their faults and not try to change what God has created. Many arguments and sleepless nights happen because we took a small issue and made it the hill to die on.

Let's look at love again.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7(NKJV)

⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Man, this verse takes the sting out of any argument. For better or worse. You can be your best when the other is at their worst, just by loving them and praying for them.

God bless,
Marty

Building Materials for Noah's Ark 2/14/14

Good Morning.
 I see Saturday over the top of my glasses. This morning I will be drinking a big cup of Door County Cherry Crème Coffee. And I am going to enjoy it slowly.

This is the last day of a short series on Noah's Ark. I want to focus on one of the building materials listed in Scripture.  PITCH   

One of the best known Bible stories is that of Noah’s ark (Genesis 6:1-8:19). After informing Noah of the coming apocalypse (Genesis 6:13), God provided him with specific instructions regarding how to construct the ark (Genesis 6:14-16). God actually told Noah about the ark before revealing details that seem more pertinent - that a flood was coming (Genesis 6:17) and that he and his family would be spared, the remnant responsible for repopulating the earth (Genesis 6:18). (No pressure in that assignment...). One of the first instructions Noah received was to coat the massive box he was to build with pitch, inside and out (Genesis 6:14).

“Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch.” (Genesis 6:14 NASB)

 Most modern translations render the Hebrew word kaphar as “pitch.   Pitch is a black glutinous substance that belongs to the same family as asphalt and bitumen.
Many have seen the pitch used in the ark as symbolic of a greater protection. Genesis 6:14 marks the first time the word kaphar is used in Scripture. Its simplest meaning is “to cover”. It is used 102 times in the Old Testament yet this passage represents the only time the King James Version (KJV) translates it “pitch”. In 73 of its 102 uses, the KJV renders the word “atonement”.

John MacArthur (b. 1939) expounds:

“That word (kapher) in Hebrew is exactly the same word translated ‘atonement.’ It can be either...In the ark of safety, the pitch kept the waters of judgment out. And the pitch in the life of believers is the blood of Christ, which secures us from any judgment. The pitch in the ark was what kept the water out, and the blood of Christ seals the believer from the flood of God’s judgment.” (MacArthur, The Keys to Spiritual Growth: Unlocking the Riches of God, 58)

Our eternal atonement was provided by the blood of Jesus which provided a covering for sin. “Love covers a multitude of sins” (I Peter 4:8 NASB).

The Great Flood Genesis 7

7 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.

 

Notice the statement. "Come into the ark". It wasn't "Go into the ark". This shows God's love by inviting us to be safe in the atonement of sin through Jesus. He desires to keep the destruction of sin from us. Noah did not have to go into the ark. He chose to go.

 

And you thought that this was just a story about a floating zoo.

 

God bless,

Marty

Noah and The Directions For the Ark. 2/13/14

Good Morning,

Thursday and I am already looking forward to guiding with my dog on Saturday for pheasants at a game farm. I pray that you are all well. My coffee this morning is Door County German Chocolate.
I need a little chocolate to get me going today.

Yesterday we did a short trivia quiz to see what we knew about Noah. The answers will be at the end of the devotional today highlighted in red.

God gives people specific instructions when He wants them to perform a task. God is very detail oriented. This is proven through the creation of our human bodies. The hand cannot move without the brain. The brain itself cannot see yet the eye transmits vision to the brain for processing. God is a God of details. Here are some details about Noah's Ark.

II. The Design of the Ark
A. The Designer was God Himself. We do not need to assume Noah knew anything about ship-building. The instructions for design are given in Gen. 6:14ff.
B. Construction Materials
The Bible says the Ark was to be built of "gopher wood". "Gopher" is the actual Hebrew word. In early English translations the meaning of the word was unknown so it was left un-translated. The NIV translates it "cypress wood", however, this is only a guess. It was undoubtedly translated this way due to the fact that cypress wood is highly resistant to rot. What this material was is still a mystery. It could have been a pre-flood wood with which we are not familiar.
It is almost certain that Noah did not construct a standard wooden ship of the kind we are familiar. According to nautical engineers the longest wooden vessel ever built was 360 feet in length and was not seaworthy. Because of the wave action of the sea only wooden ships shorter than this will be seaworthy. Therefore, we must conclude that Noah used some other method of construction to overcome this problem.
C. The Design.
1. The Biblical word for Ark is "tebah". It is used 28 times in the OT and is only used of Noah's Ark and for the container in which Moses was hidden among the bulrushes. Because of a similar Egyptian word meaning "box", and the ultimate purpose of the Ark, we believe the Ark was not like a streamlined vessel designed to easily glide through the water. More likely it was shaped like a rectangular barge which floated rather low in the water. From the story in the Bible, it also would appear that Noah had no control over the vessel. He, and it contents were at the total mercy of God.
2. The Ark had three stories with only one door. The phrase in Gen. 6:16, "Make a roof for it and finish the Ark to within 18 inches of the top." is problematic in that the words used are obscure. Most commentators believe it means leave an 18 inch space at the top that is open all around the vessel. This then would be for ventilation, and when water entered it would drain out somewhere below, similar to the vents in cars.
3. The Ark was to be coated inside and out with pitch.
Again the Hebrew word for "pitch" is obscure. It was more likely some resinous material used not only to waterproof the vessel but also to prevent decay. If Noah was 480 years old when God told him to build an Ark and 600 when the Flood came, it is reasonable to assume that the construction of the Ark took place during this 120 year period (See Gen. 6:3 along with I Pet. 3:20). The need for this preservative was essential. It is also possible that things did not decay as rapidly in the pre-flood atmosphere.
4. The phrase in the NIV (6:14) "make rooms" is also problematic in that the word is obscure. The Hebrew is "qnm". Since Hebrew did not have any vowels when it was written, scholars speculate that the word could be either "qinnim" or "qanim". The former would mean either "rooms" or "nest", and the later, "reeds". Most English translations translate as in the former. However, some of the better and more recent commentaries, believe it should be translated "reeds" since the context is building materials. If in reality it is "reeds", then somehow reeds were part of the construction material. Large boats are still made from reeds and are very seaworthy. The Egyptians still use reeds for caulking their wooden ships.
III. The Size of the Ark
(When considering its size it obviously was not the backyard effort of a primitive river-dweller!)
A. It is given in cubits as being 300 cubits long by 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high. A cubit in the OT was generally about 17.5 inches. However, an Egyptian royal cubit measured about 20.5 inches. Since Moses was educated in Egypt we must allow for the possibility that the longer measurement was meant here. The Ark, therefore, could have measured from 437 feet to 512 feet in length! It was not until the late 19th century that a ship anywhere near this size was built.
B. It's Ratio
The Ark had a ratio (length x width x height) of 30 x 5 x 3. According to ship-builders, this ratio represents an advanced knowledge of ship-building since it is the optimum design for stability in rough seas. The Ark, as designed by God, was virtually impossible to capsize! It would have to have been tilted over 90 degrees in order to capsize.
C. Its Volume.
With the shorter cubit the Ark would have an internal volume of 1,518,750 cubic feet, or the equivalent of 569 standard railroad boxcars. If the average sized animal was the size of a sheep it means the Ark could hold over 125,000 sheep. (Assuming the shape of the Ark to be rectangular there would have been over 100,000 sq. ft of floor space!)
IV. It's Construction
Though the Bible does not say, it seems reasonable that Noah employed a large group of workman to build the Ark. If Noah started building the Ark soon after God spoke to him, then the process of building the Ark may have taken close to 120 years.

Tomorrow I want to look into the use of a specific building material. Hang in there with me. I hope you see the miracle taking place in this ship building passages.


God bless,
Marty







This Quiz: Noah's Ark

1.) Who was Noah`s father?
       Lamech
       Enos
       Jared
       Methuselah

2.) What kind of wood did Noah use to build the ark?
       gopher
       cedar
       pine
       maple

3.) How long was Noah's ark?
       50 cubits
       100 cubits
       300 cubits
       500 cubits

4.) How many people entered into the ark?
       2
       8
       12
       24

5.) How many of each "unclean" animal did Noah take on the ark?
       2
       5
       7
       12

6.) How old was Noah when the flood began?
       100
       120
       600
       950

7.) For how long did the flood waters continue to get deeper?
       14 days
       40 days
       3 months
       1 year

8.) What kind of leaf was in the dove's mouth when it returned to the ark?
       Fig
       Olive
       Sycamore
       Gopher

9.) How many times did Noah send the dove from the Ark?
       1
       2
       3
       4

10.) On which mountains did the ark come to rest on after the flood?
       Mountains of Siani
       Mountains of Ararat
       Mountains of Everest
       Mountains of Olives

11.) What was the first thing Noah built when he left the ark?
       Altar
       House
       A tower
       A tabernacle

12.) How old was Noah when he died?
       500 years
       850 years
       950 years
       1200 years

Bible Trivia and Noah's Ark 2/12/14

Good Morning,

Today starts a new career path for me. Wow who would have thought? So I better coffee up with some Door County Pumpkin Spice and hit the road.

Tomorrow I will start a three day series on Noah and his ark. I thought I would start today with some general questions and answers about the ark and Noah by using some Trivia questions to get your thought process working for Thursday and Friday



This Quiz: Noah's Ark

1.) Who was Noah`s father?
       Lamech
       Enos
       Jared
       Methuselah

2.) What kind of wood did Noah use to build the ark?
       gopher
       cedar
       pine
       maple

3.) How long was Noah's ark?
       50 cubits
       100 cubits
       300 cubits
       500 cubits

4.) How many people entered into the ark?
       2
       8
       12
       24

5.) How many of each "unclean" animal did Noah take on the ark?
       2
       5
       7
       12

6.) How old was Noah when the flood began?
       100
       120
       600
       950

7.) For how long did the flood waters continue to get deeper?
       14 days
       40 days
       3 months
       1 year

8.) What kind of leaf was in the dove's mouth when it returned to the ark?
       Fig
       Olive
       Sycamore
       Gopher

9.) How many times did Noah send the dove from the Ark?
       1
       2
       3
       4

10.) On which mountains did the ark come to rest on after the flood?
       Mountains of Siani
       Mountains of Ararat
       Mountains of Everest
       Mountains of Olives

11.) What was the first thing Noah built when he left the ark?
       Altar
       House
       A tower
       A tabernacle

12.) How old was Noah when he died?
       500 years
       850 years
       950 years
       1200 years

I will give you the answers tomorrow. Let's have some fun and study together. There is a great message found in the life of Noah and the Ark.

God bless,
Marty

The Luge and the 2014 Olympics

Good Morning,

My coffee this morning is Door County Highlander Grog. It is very, very cold here once again. So one cup for the road today.

My wife and I love to watch the Olympics. Last night while watching the games I mentioned to her that I would  love to represent our country in the Olympics. She inquired as to what event I would have liked to be in. I replied that "what do you mean would have"? I recently started working out again at the age of 57. I explained to her that I thought that I could enter in the luge. She began to laugh and then she said, "don't you have to be able to see over your belly to steer?" That one hurt. So I thought until she was laughing again. I had to ask. "What are you laughing about now'? She then said that she had just finished picturing me in spandex. That one really hurt. I don't really care if I would win a medal. I just figured at 61 they would have to ask me to be on Dancing With the Stars after the Olympics. Then who would be laughing? So what does all this have to do with the luge, the Olympics, and a devotional? Not much at all. I really did not get my feelings hurt. We chose to laugh together. Our home is much happier and full of life when the two of us laugh together. Laughter is music for the soul.

Psalm 126:2    
Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

Today, try not to take yourself too serious. Dream big dreams, hope in all things, and laugh like children.

I did do some sit ups last night and then ate a Twinkie. I really work hard on this figure.

God Bless,
Marty

Scrabble, Families, and Fun 2/10/14

Good Morning.

Why do the weekends go so fast? It is amazing the speed that Saturday and Sunday possess. They could be Olympic Speed Skaters. My coffee as I head out early today is Door County Cherry Crème.

 

Colossians 3:17 (ESV)

17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

 Last Saturday after our evening church service the Men's Ministry with a little help from others held  "Family Night". They served an easy meal and provided a venue for people to sit and play board games, volleyball, or watch the Olympics together. It lasted for about three and a half hours. Clean up was minimal with many hands helping in the process. Of course the Wisconsin weather kicked in some severe cold and snow to keep attendance down. But well over a hundred people and their kids attended. I found myself enjoying an intense couple of Scrabble games with friends and family. For those of you who have never played Scrabble it is a word game performed on a board, where you make words out of letters given to you. The letters earn points as well as the words that you build into a group puzzle. The person at the end with the least amount of letters left and the most points wins. I am sure you all know I did not win. We started the games at 6:30PM munched on food throughout, and the last game played was at 10:00 PM . We had so much fun. The time just seemed to fly by. As I looked around the church I saw many well fed people, heard a whole lot of laughter and saw smile upon smile. I said to myself and a dear friend. "This is good".

Friends, God wants us to spend time as families together. This is a no brainer. Yet He also wants us to have fun as His Family and enjoy the company of others. Some who came to the event live alone. They were not alone Saturday. Their brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus had them sitting down playing Cribbage, Sorry, or some other type of game. This "was good".

John 1:12        
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

Notice, this was held after the church service. We did not forsake worshipping God. Our priorities were right. Those who attend our Church and serve on Sundays came and enjoyed the night. Many of them left earlier so they could be ready for church in the morning. Their priorities were correct and set with their families.

I am sure of one thing. God's children at Faith Bible Church had a great time last Saturday. And I believe God also thought. "This is good". His kids were together enjoying a good clean time. And I was learning to spell.

God bless, and break out the board games. I'll be coming over.

Marty.

Please Help Me I'm Falling 2/9/14

Good Morning.

Sunday once more and it is good to be alive. But where did Saturday go? My coffee today is Door County Heavenly Caramel. I feel the need to have two cups!

Accountability is not new to this devotional as a subject. I believe it is one of the most important things Christians need to develop. We have our faults (sins) that we struggle with. In many instances it is something that we have overcome but yet are tempted to give it another try all way too often.
Those who have not established a relationship with a friend, who will hold them accountable have a greater risk of falling into the temptation and thus live a lie. Falling back into sin makes us feel worthless and defeated.

I cannot stress enough the importance of having someone you can call and tell them "hey I am struggling right now". A good accountability partner will stop and pray with you, give you a Bible verse to help you through or even better yet come to your side and keep you from defeat. Both of you should pray with each other each day.

When another Christian falls into obvious sin, an admonition is imperative, because God’s Word demands it. The practice of discipline in the community of faith begins with friends who are close to one another. Words of admonition and reproach must be risked.

If we are not intentional about inviting someone  into our lives, God will provide a someone for us. But by then it may be too late to spare us from the consequences.

Accountability    

1 Thessalonians 5:11                    

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.        

Proverbs 27:17                     

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

Why go another day without help in keeping your life whole?

God bless,
Marty

Comfort for Our Friends 2/8/14

Good Morning,

Very tired from the work week. But I am up early and off to have breakfast with a dear friend. But I am not leaving the house without my coffee cup filled with Door County Maple Coffee.

Over the last few weeks I had to deal with some personal disappointments. Reflecting back on the issues I see God's hand at work in my life. In that I will be content.

One other thing I struggled with is while talking with a good friend and hunting partner about some business he told me about his sister who was diagnosed with a severe type of cancer. You have to know this guy. He's a man's man, a gentleman, and hunting die hard. But to hear the quiver in his voice as he told me about his sister and all she meant to him, it had this tough guy with tears in his eyes too. I was at a loss for words. What do you say? I am sure we have all been in this situation.

Well here is what we should do. When we have no control over the situation, We should pray. I am in prayer for him and his sister as this is written today.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NASB)

¹⁷ pray without ceasing;

We should call more often and ask how they are doing. An important part of the Christian life is caring for others. The Bible gives us great direction on who and why we are to care for others. We are to treat others with love and kindness. God instructs us to care for the poor, fellow Christians, friends, and relatives

Philippians 2:4
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Galatians 6:2
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

My friend is a strong man, a kind and giving man. He will be surrounded by many who love him as he helps his sister. I also know that Jesus will carry them through whatever will come. But when a friend cannot go it alone we need to be there.

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NKJV)

⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Dear Friend you are down but God has you in the palm of His hand. Lean on me when it gets tough.


God bless,
Marty

Why Go to Church When They Ask for Money? 2/7/14

 Good Morning,
Thursday once more. I am heading out to work with a hot cup of Door County Cherry Crème coffee in my hand.

I often here statement from people saying. "all churches ever want is my money" I thought it was time to address the statement.


Why bother going to church when all they want is money!?
Answer: If you choose to get involved in any kind of group, be it the PTA, Boy Scouts or whatever, it will cost you in time and money. It is true that, if you don't get involved in anything, you will have maximum control of your time and money. However, you will miss friendships and opportunities to be a good influence in the lives of others. Each of us decides where to spend our time and money. Each of us will either invest it in some purpose or waste it on the pleasures of the moment. Jesus said that there is an eternal investment that will not fade, rust or decay when we do good works that show our love for God and others.

Treasures in Heaven Matthew 6:19-20 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.


Ponder this! You do not control your life. You cannot guarantee that you will be alive the next week, day, hour or moment. Human life is a gift from God and He controls the measure of it

Psalm 139:16

New International Version (NIV)

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.

Our intelligence, talents and appearance are largely determined by genetics (which is to say by God who made us individually unique). Therefore, who we are, when and where we are born, how long we live, etc., are all gifts from God. Is it unreasonable for God to ask for a portion of it to acknowledge Him and His sovereignty?

Definition: Sovereignty means that God, as the ruler of the Universe, has the right to do whatever he wants. Further, he is in complete control over everything that happens.
The sovereignty of God is supported by many verses in the Bible, among them:
Psalm 115:3
Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. (NIV)

Well that sums it up for me. Anyone want to debate?

God bless,
Marty

How Do I Know Who to Marry? 2/6/14

Good Morning,

This day is starting with a look upward, a prayer for peace in my heart and a cup of Door County Heavenly Caramel Coffee. I am looking forward to Saturday. Our Men's Ministry Team at Faith Bible Church is sponsoring a family fun night. It is food, board games, and great people.

Yesterday we talked about making a choice to share your life in marriage. I promised to talk today about marrying someone who puts God first.

When Rene and I started dating my heart and mind  was just in awe of her. I really enjoyed being with her, but then came the test. We were to go for dinner and a movie on Saturday very early in our relationship. I was excited to go. But then I remembered that Saturday night was our prayer service at church and I was leading it. My friend Harlan offered to cover for me. What a dilemma! I was convicted by the Holy Spirit to not go on the date but to make sure I went to the prayer service. So I needed to explain to Rene my priorities.
I asked her if we could talk. I drove over to her house and here is what came out of my mouth.  Thinking on it now, I really could have done better to explain my point.

"Rene, you can never be number one in my life". That's when the tears started. I then said. "Let me explain. God needs to be number one at all times. If I put you before Him I have created an idol in you. If God is number one you will always be a secure and loved number two". Boy wasn't that romantic! I am surprised that I wasn't shown the door. Later on I was told that what Rene was looking for was a man who could lead a family. But she was hoping for a taller guy. Thus her pet nickname for me. SDP Short Dark and Portly! But right from the start she knew that I would be following God to lead and direct me and eventually us. As I have said before, we have been married for a thousand years. Her statement not mine, I love her more each day. We serve the Lord together, we learn together, we laugh, love and cry together. We are closer because of God. When one of us sheds a tear the other can taste the salt from across the room. Friends I am not bragging, it is a fact. A fact that is true because of God and only God. He loved us first.

1 John 4:19New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁹ We love Him^[a] because He first loved us.

Now as we are much older we see that it wasn't us who built the home. It wasn't us who sustained each other through the loss of parents, or the loss of jobs, cancer, or diabetes. It was God who came first.

Unless the Lord Builds the House

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

127 Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake in vain.
² It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
    for he gives to his beloved sleep.

³ Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.
⁴ Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the children^[a] of one's youth.
⁵ Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.^[

If you think you are ready to marry. Ask your potential mate who is number one in their life. This is something you want to know.

God bless,
Marty