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The United States Womens Softball team won the gold medal in Atlantas 1996 Olympic games. They lost only one game but from that loss came a remarkable story about perseverance. In the fifth inning against Australia, Danielle Tyler hit a home run over the center-field fence. The American third baseman floated around the bases with a rush of adrenaline. When she was greeted by a swarm of well-wishing teammates at home plate she let the excitement distract her focus and she did not touch the base. When all of the yelling subsided, the Australian team quietly appealed to the umpire who dramatically called Tyler out.
Rather than scoring a run, Tylers blast over the fence netted her team an out. As it ended up, had the lady slugger stepped on home plate, her team would have won 1-0. Instead, after seven innings of regulation play the game was tied at 0-0. In extra innings, Australia emerged with a 2-1 win and the U.S. team took their only loss of the Olympics. (Autoillustrator.com, PERSEVERANCE)
After spending 3 ½ hours enduring the long lines, rude clerks and insane regulations at the Department of Motor Vehicles, a man stopped at a toy store to pick up a gift for his son. He brought his selection, a baseball bat to the cash register. "Cash or charge" the clerk asked. "Cash" the man snapped. Then apologizing for his rudeness he explained, "I’ve spent the afternoon and the motor vehicle bureau." The clerk sweetly asked, "Shall I gift wrap the bat or are you going back there?"
When Jesus said these words later in Matthew (11:28-30), we see grace, All you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. The yoke literally was what the oxen wore as they plowed the field. But in Jewish culture, it was a symbol of a Rabbis teaching.
When Jesus said these words, he was telling us that his teachings are not meant to be a burden like the teachings of the Pharisees that follow all these lists and rules and regulations in order not to sin. His teachings bring life. They bring a life of knowing God and hearing His voice, which is what Jesus says in Johns Gospel as the very definition of eternal life knowing God. Jesus yoke is not meant to weigh us down even though they seem to be such a higher standard than the Law. It is because they are driven by love. Gods love in us as we love others with the love of God. Love is supposed to free us. Judging, comparing ourselves to others, and striving after stuff, puts us in bondage
A GLIMPSE OF MECOMMUNION MEDITATION
In Mel Gibsons Movie, The Passion of Christ there is an obscure detail in the crucifixion scene that probably goes unnoticed by most people, but it is a detail that says so much.
When Jesus is being placed on the cross, the camera comes close to watch as a large spike is positioned in the middle of Jesus hand. Then, a mallet comes into focus, and a rugged hand swings it to drive the spike. Those are all things you expect to see.
But there is something you dont see. You never see the face of the one who drives that nail. You never get a glimpse into the eyes, or heart of the one who so assuredly pounds away until the spike has passed through Jesus flesh and comes to rest in the wood of the cross.
You might be interested to know that the person who plays that role in the movie is the director himself, Mel Gibson. But why does he never show the face of the one who put Jesus on the cross? Why does he not give us the identity of the one who had the gall to put the Son of God to death?
He didnt show us that face because that face was his. It was ours. We are the ones who put Jesus to death. It wasnt the Romans. It wasnt the Jews. It was our sin that nailed Jesus to the cross.
Colossians 2:13-14 says: When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all...
James S. Hewett tells this story. A tyrannical husband demanded that his wife conform to rigid standards of his choosing. She was to do certain things for him as a wife, mother, and homemaker. In time she came to hate her husband as much as she hated his list of rules and regulations. Then, one day de diedmercifully as far as she was concerned.
Some time later, she fell in love with another man and married him. She and her new husband lived on a perpetual honeymoon. Joyfully, she devoted herself to his happiness and welfare. One day she ran across one of the sheets of dos and donts her first husband had written for her. To her amazement she found that she was doing for her second husband all the things her first husband had demanded of her, even though her new husband had never once suggested them. She did them as an expression of her love for him and her desire to please him. [--James S. Hewett,
Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1988), p. 501].
This is the spirit of submission Paul envisions in the Christian home.
A study done by leading psychologist Daniel Goleman of nearly 200 large, global companies revealed that emotional intelligence, especially at the highest level in the companies, is the sine qua non [an indispensable and essential action] for leadership2.
The components of emotional intelligence are self- awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill.
(2) Daniel Golemen. Harvard Business Review: What Makes A Leader. Boston, MA, 1998-2001, pg. 1-3.
When Martin Luther became a priest and celebrated his first Mass, in 1507, he trembled so much he nearly dropped the bread and cup. He became so terrified of the presence of Christ that he wanted to run from the altar. Yet that same fear of the holy, led him to be obedient to Christ and His Word above the rules and regulations of the church. Even when facing severe punishment by the church and the empire for the things he had written, Luther stood bold and said, I am mastered by the passages of scripture I have quoted, and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recent . . . . I can do no other. Here I take my stand, God being my helper. Amen.
PAID IN FULL
Have you ever wished that someone would pay off all your credit card debt? Zero balancesno payments! The Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church in Norfolk, VA is making that wish come true. One Sunday of every month, Bishop C. Vernie Russell Jr., chooses a family from the church to come forward, and the congregation takes up an offering to pay off their debt. Over the last 14 months, this group has collected $340,000 dollars to rescue 59 of the churchs families from debt.
When we come to the Lords Supper, we remember another debta greater debt that no human striving, no double shifts, no church collections could ever repayour debt of sin.
When you were dead in your sins
God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the ...
There was a man in a community that had the reputation for always being able to catch fish. Regardless of the time of the year it was, or whether anybody else was catching fish, this man was always managed to come back with a boat load of fish. His brother-in-law, who happened to be a Game Warden had always been amazed at the mans success. So, one morning the man agreed to take his brother in law fishing with him. They went to a lake that was known for its poor fishing. The game warden watched his brother-in-law take the boat out to the middle of the lake and cut the motor off. The game warden was confused as he noticed that his brother-in-law didnt worry about finding a ledge or brush-pile, or anything like that. Then instead of getting his rod and reel out, the game wardens brother-in-law pulled a stick of dynamite out of a sack, lit it, and threw it overboard. A few seconds later, there was a big boom, and almost immediately the surface of the lake was covered with stunned fish. The Game warden couldnt believe what he had just witnessed. He immediately began reciting the fishing laws and regulations to his brother-in-law. But this didnt seem to bother his brother in law in the least. He simply reached into the bag for another stick of dynamite, lit it, and tossed it to the game warden and said, "You gonna talk, or you gonna fish?" The game warden noticed the fuse was almost to the end and He quickly decided to fish. Now that story probably isnt true, but its still a good story. Unfortunately I think God would like to throw some of us a stick of dynamite this morning and say, "Are you gonna talk, or are you going to fish"
During the Victorian era, one how-to-do-it-right manual was Lady Goughs Book of Etiquette. In this volume, putting books by male authors next to books by female authors was forbidden unless the authors were married.
Different parts of the United States, as well as other parts of the world, have some unique and eccentric laws of their own. In Alabama, putting salt on a railroad track may be punishable by death and keeping an ice cream cone in your back pocket at any time is a crime.
A law in Fairbanks, Alaska does not allow moose to have sex on city streets. In Alaska, you may hunt a bear safely but it is illegal to wake a bear and take a picture for photo opportunities.
In Arizona, US, donkeys cannot sleep in bathtubs and you may be imprisoned for 25 years for cutting down a cactus.
In Arkansas, schoolteachers who bob their hair are not eligible for a raise and it is illegal to buy or sell blue light bulbs.
In Baldwin Park, California, nobody is allowed to ride a bicycle in a swimming pool
In Los Angeles, a man can legally beat his wife with a leather belt or strap, but the belt cant be wider than 2 inches, unless he has his wifes consent to beat her with a wider strap. Consent should be given prior to the event, as is carefully stipulated in the law.
In the Philippines, cars whose license plates end with a 1 or 2 are not allowed on the roads on Monday, 3 or 4 on Tuesday, 5 or 6 on Wednesday, 7 or 8 on Thursday, and 9 or 0 on Friday from 7:00 AM onwards to keep roads free of traffic jams.
In Singapore, it is illegal to come within 50 meters of a pedestrian crossing marker on any street.
In South Korea, traffic policemen are required to report all bribes that they receive from motorists.
In Switzerland, it is illegal to flush the toilet after 10 PM.
In Thailand, it is illegal to leave your house without wearing underwear.
These are just a handful of the silly laws and regulations from around the world that made very good sense to somebody sometime but they make little or no sense to us today.
