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Chasing The Ball

  The Masters Golf tournament features the best golfers in the world playing to win…a green jacket. Actually, it is much more.  The winner receives a large monetary check, a trophy, gold medal, an invitation to play in the tournament each year hereafter, and the honor of the choosing the menu for the champions dinner next year. Don’t forget the coveted green jacket. Playing golf involves much more than chasing a ball around a golf course. Professional golfers are trained athletes. Their tools are a set of golf clubs, a golf ball, and good shoes. The goal is to tee off or hit the ball from a designated starting point, aimed toward an ending point or hole on the green. Between the starting and ending points lie many difficulties, such as rolling hills, trees, bushes, sand traps and long distances. The player must negotiate each of these situations in order to get the ball into the hole. In addition to these issues, the player who wins must get the ball into the hole with fewer stroke
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Waiting For The Lights

Rapunzel: I’ve been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it’s not everything I dreamed it would be? Flynn Rider: It will be. Rapunzel: And what if it is? What do I do then? Flynn Rider: Well, that’s the good part I guess. You get to go find a new dream. –Tangled by Walt Disney Watching for the lights was Rapunzel’s dream and heart’s desire. Raised in a tower 18 years, with little entertainment, she had a fascination for the candle lights that rose into the night sky each year on her birthday. Her conversation with the movie scoundrel, Flynn Rider caused her to begin thinking about her dreams, desires, and soon to be love interest. Rapunzel’s question about her dream coming true then wanting to know…”what do I do then?”…strikes at each of us. What now? After my dreams come true, what’s next? Perhaps you are waiting for your first dream to materialize. Perchance you move from dream to dream without ev
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Don’t Miss This

 Jesus spent His last few hours on earth with the disciples.  They were pleased to celebrate Passover with Jesus, little aware that He would soon die.  The disciples joyfully prepared the feast and were soon gathered around Jesus as He initiated the age-old celebration. Passover was one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals during which the entire population of the kingdom of Judah made a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.  The city was packed with pilgrims, eager to celebrate and renew vows. Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”   Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”  “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”  But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And
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Am I Thomas?

Thomas missed the meeting, and this led to his not seeing Jesus and becoming “Doubting Thomas” and sermon material for thousands of years. Point number one for many of these sermons is don’t miss the meeting which leads to point number two, don’t doubt what your friends say. How about you? Do you see a little of yourself in Thomas? Don’t be so difficult with our friend. I am convinced that Thomas is a reflection of everyman and everywoman. Scripture bears out that even the eleven disciples present when Jesus appeared to them, were frightened and had doubts! Jesus had to prove to them that it was actually Himself! Jesus! The whole story comes together when both gospels, Luke and John, are consulted. Let’s read these verses. Jesus himself stood among them (the disciples) and said to them, “Peace be with you.”   But the whole group was terribly frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! …“Why do you doubt that it is really I? Look at my hands! Look at my feet! You can see that
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Talking With A Donkey

  Neil Armstrong is remembered as the first man to walk on the moon. George Washington is remembered as our first president, the Father of our country. Pong was the first video game to grab worldwide attention. Believe it or not, Balaam is remembered as the first man to talk with a donkey. How would you feel if your final memorial was a picture of you talking with a donkey? Balaam was an Old Testament Bible prophet. Not just any prophet but one for hire. His business card may have read, “Have Prophecy, Will Travel”. Perhaps you are getting the idea that Balaam was not one of God’s devoted prophets? Correct! Balaam had been contacted by the Moabite King Balak, in order to place a curse on the Israelite nation as they traveled from Egypt to their Promised land. Balak was ready to pay any amount of gold or silver if Balaam would say a curse and get rid of the Israelites, who were a pain in his side. “Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials. Bu
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A Most Unusual Command

God, I'm ready! Please use me. Wherever you lead, I’ll follow. (Later in the same day…) God, are you sure? This sounds unusual. I'm not ready for this. Commander Joshua and the Israelite army were ready. Jesus had appeared to Joshua as The Angel of The Lord, and promised victory.   The army was awaiting the battle plans for the final assault on the closed city of Jericho. God spoke to Joshua again, and... …………………………….are you sure?   God? The is where it get’s interesting.   Are you ready for a surprise? Let's read together. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.   March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a l
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When This Is All Over

  When all this is over, who will you be?        When all this is over where will you be?               When all this is over, what will be different in the world?                       What will be different about you? I am sick of this!   Why can't things just go back to the way they were?   I miss the good old days. So...here is the news; the world will never go back to the former times and ways; however, God is in control.   That should bring peace and perhaps excitement to our lives.   Why?   Read this gem with me... But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair.    2 Corinthians 4:7-12 Did you get that? Treasure.   Jars of clay.   The treasure is Jesus...and we, his chosen ones, are the jars of clay. OK, what does this mean and how does it relate to us, today? The world is moving and changing, rapidly, but we fin
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