Strange and interesting Events from May 20 in history:

1873 – Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive a U.S. patent for blue jeans with copper rivets.

1932 – Amelia Earhart takes off from Newfoundland to begin the world’s first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean by a female pilot, landing in Ireland the next day.

1983 – First publications of the discovery of the HIV virus that causes AIDS in the journal Science by Luc Montagnier.

Today’s Inspirational Quote: “What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”

A Laugh for Today: Variety is the spice of life, but monotony provides the groceries.

Today’s Fuel4theFire: Can God do anything? Can God do everything? Instinctively many of us want to say ‘Yes.” He is God. While it is true that what is impossible with men is possible with Him; the fact remains that He cannot do everything. Hear me out … let me give you three examples of things God cannot do.

1. He can’t lie.

This is the reason that the righteousness of the law must be satisfied. It is why God cannot forgive you without Jesus. If He did, He would make Himself a liar. It is not just that He won’t lie – it is that He can’t lie. It is contrary to His nature. It would be like asking a square to be round. You cannot ask the Truth to be a lie. “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began” (Titus 1:2).

The comfort is found in all the things He says about you. He loves you. He has a plan for you that is for good and not for evil. He wants you to walk in freedom and attain the victory that He has already won on your behalf. He is preparing a place in heaven for you. It’s all true and we can know it … because He cannot lie.

2. He can’t learn.

Dictionary.com defines ‘omniscient’ as having complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding; perceiving all things. I mean, where do you go from there? What can you teach the all-knowing One? And who is going to teach Him? Who is going to write the curriculum for the advanced course that God needs to take? Read Job 38-42 and you will be humbled by the One who knows the things we have never dared to think of. The One who sends lightning and gives birth to ice; the One who gives the horse his strength and teaches the hawk to fly. What are we going to teach the One who knows your needs before you ask and knows the thoughts and intents of your heart.

He not only has wisdom – He IS wisdom. He not only possesses knowledge – He IS knowledge. He knows the end from the beginning and all points between. He not only knows what you’ve done, He knows what you are GOING to do! Everything is naked and open before Him. He sees the past, the present and the future in one big now.

He knows the number of the hairs on your head because He put them there. He knows how many stars exist because He hung each of them in space on nothing. He knows how many grains of sand are on all the beaches of the world because He made and placed each one. He sees the smallest sub-atomic particle and holds in His mighty hands the galaxies of the universe. He is the uncreated Creator whose knowledge is unlimited and boundless. He is the creator of knowledge and need not learn what He Himself made.

3. He can’t make you love Him.

The very definition of love makes this so. If He created you with no option but to love Him it would cease to be love. But He does give us an example to follow. The Trinity is a perfect pattern for love. Before God ever created mankind – He dwelt within a loving relationship. He wanted to share that with us so He created us with free will.

Free-will is a two-edged sword for sure. To love Him and obey Him is a beautiful thing. To love others, even our enemies is wonderful too (Matthew 5:44). It is the first and greatest of the Kingdom principles (Matthew 22:37), after all, God is love. Did you catch that? God IS love.

And as wonderful as loving God is … to not love Him is proportionally horrific. Absent of a love for God, life loses its meaning. Without a genuine love for Jesus we are lost, like sheep without a shepherd, we wander through this world living from payday to payday waiting for some future event that we haven’t even identified. This produces a sense of emptiness. We medicate our emptiness with gambling, alcohol, drugs, sexual liaisons, food, materialism or any of a thousand other tranquilizers that numb us to the meaninglessness of life without Jesus.

God cannot lie. Every word He has spoken is true to the uttermost. He cannot learn. And in spite of the fact that He knows everything about us – He loves us anyway. But He cannot make you love Him. That is a choice only you can make.

That’s a little fuel4thefire.

And remember … I love you guys.

Tom

Strange and interesting Events from May 13 in history:

1939 – The first commercial FM radio station in the United States is launched in Bloomfield, Connecticut. The station later becomes WDRC-FM. (… the big sound in the big town …)

1954 – The anti-National Service Riots, by Chinese Middle School students in Singapore, take place.                 ( … middle school riots … really?… why didn’t we think of that? …)

1958 – The trade mark Velcro is registered. (… no one thought it would stick …)

Today’s Inspirational Quote: “God does not ask us to have a faith that is certain, but a service that is sure.”

A Laugh for Today: Chewing gum proves that motion doesn’t always mean progress.

Today’s Fuel4theFire: Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband does safely trust in her. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She works willingly with her hands. She rises while it is yet night, and gives meat to her household. She considers a field, and buys it: with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She lays her hands to the spindle. She stretches out her hand to the poor; she reaches forth her hands to the needy. She makes herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes fine linen, and sells it; and delivers girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looks well to the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness. Her children rise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.

So here’s to mom.

Those are selected excerpts from Proverbs 31. I’m not sure about the girdle part, but hey, that’s quite a gal. In most cases it is no exaggeration. Her worth is indeed far above rubies!

When I was growing up, my home was a place of safety and refuge and acceptance. My mom raised three boys all by herself, and trust me, my two brothers were a real handful. She would rise while it was yet night to prepare for the day. She had breakfast waiting when we got up, our clean and pressed parochial school uniforms were hung with care, and our lunches were made with loving hands. Then she went to work.

My mom worked as a head nurse. I still run into nurses from time to time that talk of how much respect (i.e. healthy fear) they had for my mom. She ran a tight ship and understood that patient care came first. She would expect no less from those in her charge. Mom was a good nurse.

Like most moms, there was no punching out when the shift came to an end. There were few moments, if any, when the work was all done. But somehow, when a new day dawned we were ready to face what came next.

Mom spoke with kindness and taught us to respect others and respect authority. She had compassion on the poor and never failed to help a neighbor in need. As a nurse she was often asked to do home care for those in the neighborhood – she never got paid for it, but did it out of the kindness in her heart and an obligation she felt to love her fellow human being.

She was our source of wise counsel when we had a problem or needed a listening ear. Mom was not one to coddle us but somehow she knew when we needed a hug. She was quick to laugh, too smart to pull much over on and loved us to death. And we knew it.

To this day we meet at mom’s house for pie and meals and a few minutes of relaxation. Her presence is still a place of safety and refuge and acceptance. The coffee pot burns like the eternal flame. She is always there … in more ways than one.

So here’s to mom; my mom and your mom too. She looks well to the ways of her household and her children rise up and call her blessed.

That’s a little fuel4thefire.

And remember … I love you mom.

Tom

Strange and interesting Events from May 6 in history:

1536 – King Henry VIII orders English language Bibles be placed in every church.

1954 – Roger Bannister becomes the first person to run the mile in under four minutes.

1996 – The body of former CIA director William Colby is found washed up on a riverbank in southern Maryland, eight days after he disappeared.

Today’s Inspirational Quote: “No man was ever wise by chance.” Seneca

A Laugh for Today:

• There is an exception to every rule, except this one.
• I am planning to be more spontaneous in the future.
• The beatings will continue until morale improves.
• Save the whales. Collect the whole set.

Today’s Fuel4theFire: We live in a culture beset with knock-offs. From Rolex watches to Louis Vuitton wallets; they can be very similar in look and comparable in function. Certainly – they are cheaper. And while they may be cheaper, they aren’t the real deal.

We also live in a culture of spiritual knock-offs. There have always been cults and false teachings; that’s nothing new; but something else has happened in the post modern world in which we live. I believe it is the after effect of the death of sin.

In recent years sin has become difficult to identify. Drunkenness and drug addiction is no longer viewed as sin; it is now considered a disease. Abuse isn’t a sin if you were abused and stealing isn’t stealing if life has dealt you a bad hand. Gambling and pornography are addictions … we can’t be held responsible for that, can we? My appetites are just part of my animal instincts and my upbringing or my past keeps me from being held responsible for my behavior. We have witnessed the death of sin.

And so we have drifted into the pseudo-reality of the era of whatever ‘works for me’. Sin is no longer a restraining force because sin has died. It leaves us in an individualistic, self centered, self absorbed state. We no longer seem capable of sacrificing for others because we are consumed with the full time job of taking care of self. We can’t see past ourselves long enough to do something that would benefit the whole if it costs me something along the way.

The World War II generation endured rationing, scrap drives, black outs and scores of other hardships to promote and help the common good. I wonder if we are capable of that anymore.

The political scene evidences some of our individualistic mentality. I notice in the news that there is not just one Wisconsin recall election in the works – but two! One for each party. How fitting is that. Recall elections, absent of moral or legal malfeasance is the adult version of holding our breath until we get our way. When these officials make a decision that doesn’t benefit us – we throw a tantrum and threaten to remove them from office. Never mind that we just elected them to office! We all want the budget balanced and we all want a healthy environment – but don’t you dare make a decision that negatively affects me because I am not willing to sacrifice for the common good.

The same can be said spiritually. The spiritual disciplines have slipped out of vogue and heaven forbid that anything should be required of me; after all, “I’m spiritual … not religious.” It is part of the smorgasbord mentality that picks and chooses what it wants out of the religious landscape. Rather than acknowledging that we have been made in the image of God, we have formed a god who looks like us. The death of sin has made humanity god and good works our gospel. Save the whales, create jobs, help the poor.

It all sounds spiritual or at least feels like a good cause. From the political endeavors to the ‘spiritual but not religious’ idiom, but they are counted among the spiritual knock-offs in my book. And it all stems from the death of sin. But God has made it clear that sin is alive and well. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And the remedy for sin is still found at the foot of the Cross of our Savior.

Sin cannot be ignored; and sin must be dealt with God’s way. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Spiritual knock-offs won’t cost you as much, but they are not the real deal. Jesus is the only answer and the only way. Rumors of sins death have been greatly exaggerated. In fact, sin lies at the door and its desire is for you (Genesis 4:7). The Bible gives you the authentic answer to sin,“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

That’s a little fuel4thefire.

And remember … I love you guys.

Tom

Strange and interesting Events from April 29 in history:

1946 – Father Divine, a controversial religious leader who claims to be God, marries the much-younger Edna Rose Ritchings,

1968 – The controversial musical Hair opens on Broadway.

1974 – President Richard Nixon announces the release of edited transcripts of White House tape recordings related to the scandal.

Today’s Inspirational Quote: “Adversity is just change that we haven’t adapted ourselves to yet.”   - Aimee Mullins

A Laugh for Today:

• I started out with nothing…I still have most of it.
• I finally got my head together, now my body is falling apart.
• It was all so different before everything changed.
• Nostalgia isn’t what is used to be.

Today’s Fuel4theFire: This week the talk in the sports world is the NFL draft. This is where 200 college students become instant millionaires because they have the potential to play pro football. That’s a lot of money to throw at a guy who was a teenager a few months ago. I shudder to think about where I would be if I had been given a cool mil at the tender age of twenty. It wouldn’t have been good, I can tell you that. Easy Go.

The amazing and tragic thing is how many of these guys will be broke in just a few short years. The list of athletes, who have struck it rich, only to squander it all, seems endless.

Golfer John Daly, baseball player Lenny Dykstra, boxer Mike Tyson, Hoopster Alan Iverson and NFLer Terrell Owens are but one wing of the pro sports Hall of Shame when it comes to managing money. After all … Easy Go.

If these guys made millions and wound up broke, what hope does a grunt like you or me have? Our hope is in the fact that it is not how much money you manage that counts, but how you manage your money.

Let me give you a few financial tips, rooted in God’s Word, that will not only keep you from going the way of those who have squandered whoofty thousands, but also enable you to make a difference with what God has entrusted to you.

1. Get rid of the victim mentality – ‘Rich’ and ‘wealthy’ are relative terms. If you are reading this, you are better-off than 90% of the people on planet Earth. Do well with it and you will be okay. Develop a sense of entitlement and you will be dependent on someone else all of your days.  The Bible says, “…To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7). No matter your circumstances, choose to overcome. And know this – it is a choice.

2. Honor God with your finances – This speaks both of what you do and what you don’t do. “Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10). Thousands upon thousands of people can testify that this is true. Honor God and He will pour out blessing!

3. Plan ahead – “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). Vision means ‘sight or dream’. It is your preferred future. Without a dream or a plan you will squander any amount of money. Without a destination there is no favorable wind. Planning enables you to take full advantage of what you have.

4. Trust God – It just seems like common sense to me, to look to the One who knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). If we ask God for wisdom … He will give it to us liberally (James 1:5). That’s what the Bible says! So let’s ask God how we should handle our money and He will direct us. Wouldn’t we all want an investor who knew the future? He is there if you will only ask.

5. Think in terms of making a difference – Human tendency is to take care of self. The Christlike mind thinks in terms of being a difference maker. Jesus came for one reason – to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). He came to impact lives. When you are on your deathbed you will not think of the balance in your bank account or the current state of your investment portfolio. You will contemplate whether or not you made a difference in the lives of those you came into contact with.

Finances do not take care of themselves. They must be earned and then managed. And without proper management … Easy Go.

That’s a little fuel4thefire.

And remember … I love you guys.

Tom

Strange and interesting Events from April 22 in history:

1864 – The U.S. Congress passes the Coinage Act that mandates that the inscription In God We Trust be placed on all coins minted as United States currency.

1889 – At high noon, thousands rush to claim land in the Land Run of 1889. Within hours the cities of Oklahoma City and Guthrie are formed with populations of at least 10,000.

1970 – The first Earth Day is celebrated. (…you know my motto, “Earth Day every day”…)

Today’s Inspirational Quote: “Let a joy keep you. Reach out your hands and take it when it runs by.”       - Carl Sandburg

A Laugh for Today: Don’t take life too seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

Today’s Fuel4theFire: Recently a little girl I know did something bad that involved coloring on a newly painted wall. The damage was to the degree where it would have to be repainted. The next day it was announced that the family was going to the circus. The little girl responded with, “I don’t deserve to go to the circus.”

That’s how many of us feel. We know our innermost thoughts and the flaws and faults that make up who we are. We come to believe that we are undeserving. But like the little girl, we fail to realize that we get to go to the circus because we are loved, not because we deserve it. We get to go to the circus because we are part of the family.

I think most of us want all that God has for us. And if I understand God to any degree, I think He wants to give it to us. The breakdown in the equation is somewhere between the all-powerful God and our ability to receive.

Some of us just are not good at receiving. When somebody gives a compliment, we deflect it. When the awards and blessings are being doled out, we don’t even get in line because they can’t possibly be for us; or so we think. We don’t deserve a trip to the circus.

So what is the key ingredient in the receiving process? What is it that gives us the capacity to receive? I believe the answer is simple faith.

Some of us feel as though we don’t deserve anything so why would God give us anything? What we fail to understand is that what we receive from God we must receive by faith. If we wait till we are good enough we will never get to see that guy shot out of the cannon; we can never earn a trip to the circus.

Salvation is by faith. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Healing is by faith. When Jesus was met by two blind men who asked for their sight He asked, “… Believe ye that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28). Why did He ask that? He was gauging their capacity to receive.

Forgiveness is received by faith. “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:38-39)

Righteousness is received by faith. “…Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:3-5). Maybe it’s time to stop striving and start receiving. As long as we think we have to earn it we can’t put our hands out to receive it.

I wonder what God is waiting to give to you? Is it joy, peace, power, forgiveness, hope, assurance, victory, deliverance, provision or direction for the future? Is it possible that God wants to give you all that? I think it is. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20).

Remember that it is a choice and not a feeling. Remember that we receive by faith and not merit. Remember that it is about Him and not about us. Faith looks at Jesus with arms outstretched ready to receive.

I believe we can increase our capacity to receive from God. It starts with opening your heart to Him and accepting the fact that there is nothing you can do to make Him love you more and nothing you can do to make Him love you less.

It’s time to enjoy a trip to the circus.

That’s a little fuel4thefire.

And remember … I love you guys.

Tom

Strange and interesting Events from April 15 in history:

1865 – Abraham Lincoln dies without regaining consciousness after being shot the previous evening by actor John Wilkes Booth.

1912 – The British passenger liner, the RMS Titanic, sinks in the North Atlantic at 2:20 a.m., two and a half hours after hitting an iceberg. 1,517 people are killed.

1955 – McDonald’s restaurant dates its founding to the opening of a franchised restaurant by Ray Kroc, in Des Plaines, Illinois.

Today’s Inspirational Quote:  “We aim above the mark to hit the mark.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Laugh for Today:  Every woman hopes that her daughter will marry a better man than she did. And is convinced that her son will never find a wife as good as his father did.

Today’s Fuel4theFire:  We’ve all seen the World War II movie where the new guy joins the unit and tries to introduce himself to the cigar smoking, grizzled veteran who coldly blows him off. When he asks another guy, ‘what gives?’ He’s told that the veteran has watched his last two ‘best friends’ get their heads blown off … he doesn’t want another friend.

You don’t have to be at war to see those who have decided that love isn’t worth the risk. The bottom line is that love does involve risk. And love is worth the risk.

There are many people milling about the streets of our city, the hallways at church and the corridors of our lives that are living life afraid to risk their heart because of past pain and rejection.

Maybe dad was physically abusive or mom was critical. Maybe their spouse left … and never came back. Perhaps they know nothing but rejection from friend and lover alike. Somehow we have to convey to them that love involves risk; and love is worth the risk.

I believe the healing starts with forgiveness. Forgiveness doesn’t mean the pain wasn’t real and it doesn’t minimize how unpleasant your situation was or is. And forgiveness is not forgetting. In fact, part of the healing process is owning the memory.

Unforgiveness keeps us from risking again. We cannot risk hurt when we are not over hurts from the past. When unforgiveness goes on over time we miss out on God’s best for us. He sends friends or companions our way and we refuse to let them get close because, like the grizzled war veteran, we still have open, festering wounds from our last hurt.

But when we own the memory and choose to forgive, the healing begins. That does not mean it will be easy. And you may have to rise every morning and choose again to forgive the one who wronged you. But it is a choice we can all make. If Jesus can forgive while still hanging on the Cross … I think we can choose to forgive too.

It cannot be denied, love involves risk. God modeled for us what it means to risk when He gave each of us free will, for with it came the option not to love Him back. True love could happen no other way. To God, it was worth the risk.

Maybe you have been hurt in the past. And perhaps your reaction is to make sure you never get hurt again. I wonder if forgiveness is the key to opening your heart. Forgiveness is giving up your quest for a better past. Maybe it’s time to love again. I can’t promise that your friend won’t let you down or that you won’t get rejected as you make yourself vulnerable. I can only tell you it’s worth the risk.

That’s a little fuel4thefire.

And remember … I love you guys.

Tom

Strange and interesting Events from April 8 in history:

1946 – The last meeting of the League of Nations, the precursor of the United Nations, is held.

1974 – At Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Hank Aaron hits his 715th career home run to surpass Babe Ruth’s 39-year-old record.

1975 – President Richard Nixon signs into law federal legislation authorizing the establishment of Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota.

Today’s Inspirational Quote:  “Good for the body is the work of the body, and good for the soul is the work of the soul, and good for either is the work of the other.”   ~ Henry David Thoreau

A Laugh for Today:  How do they get the deer to cross at that yellow road sign?  If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages? If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?

Today’s Fuel4theFire:  There is an expression used in the world of major league baseball when a player is sent down to the minor league team; aka the farm club. They say he was “farmed out.”

The year was 1998 as we switch from the diamond to the gridiron; the National Football League draft was looming. There were two players universally regarded as the top selections; which one would be chosen first was anybody’s guess. Peyton Manning had been a standout for Tennessee in college and Ryan Leaf was stellar for the Washington State Huskies as well.

Both quarterbacks were labeled can’t miss prospects. But four years later Peyton Manning was well on his way to a Hall of Fame career and Ryan Leaf was out of football; his life spiraling downward. He played in only 25 NFL games, threw but 14 TD’s and 36 interceptions. It would be a picture of his personal life. After four years he was pharmed out.

It cannot be denied that part of the Ryan Leaf story is written in the bottom of empty prescription drug bottles. His divorce, his financial struggles, his run-ins with the law, his outbursts in front of reporters, team officials and fans are all widely reported in the media. In May 2009, Leaf was indicted on burglary and controlled substance charges in Texas. He was undergoing drug rehab in Canada at the time of the indictment and was arrested by customs agents as he returned to the United States. In April 2010, Leaf pled guilty in Amarillo, Texas, to seven counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and one count of delivery of a simulated controlled substance, all felonies. And on March 30, 2012, just a few days ago, we read that Ryan Leaf was arrested on burglary, theft, and drug charges in his hometown of Great Falls, Montana.

Ironically, just ten days before Leaf’s latest arrest, Peyton Manning, now entering his fifteenth season, reached an agreement with the Denver Broncos on a five-year contract reportedly worth $96 million.

The reports of Ryan’s latest kerfunkle surround allegations of illegal prescription meds delivered to his house as well as accusations of pharming. Pharming is an expression used to describe a person going into someone’s house and stealing their prescription drugs. It is not as unusual as you might think. In fact it is epidemic.

According to the New York times, “Opiate painkillers and other prescription drugs, officials say, are driving addiction and crime like never before, with addicts singling out the homes of sick or elderly people and posing as potential buyers at open houses just to raid the medicine cabinets.”

What separated Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning? I don’t know all the answers to that, but I do know that Ryan Leaf had talent and he had opportunity. Even after mistakes had been made he could have turned it around if he had just experienced the brokenness necessary and repented of what he had done. But listen to this verse that describes the mindset of many engrossed in pharming today: “Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts” (Revelation 9:21).

The connection is remote until you realize that the word translated ‘sorceries’ in the original Greek language is ‘pharmakeia’. It literally means ‘medication’ and is the Greek word from which we get pharmacy and pharmaceuticals. Now read the verse again.

It is noteworthy that the other indiscretions listed with ‘sorceries’ are often associated with drug abuse. They say prolonged addiction resolves itself one of two ways; incarceration or death. How true it is. How sad it is.

Families are the collateral damage. Lives are broken and shattered and for many the harm is irreparable. Bodies are ruined; potential is left unfulfilled and countless thousands of dollars are spent in an effort to get free from the satanic grip of the world’s newest vice. And yet … there is nothing new under the sun. And many are pharmed out never having attained what God had created in them and for them.

That’s a little fuel4thefire.

And remember … I love you guys.

Tom

Strange and interesting Events from April 1 in history:

1891 – The Wrigley Company is founded in Chicago, Illinois. (… something to chew on …)

1970 – President Richard Nixon signs the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act, requiring warnings on tobacco products and banning advertisements on television and radio, starting on January 1, 1971.

1976 – Apple Inc. is formed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.

(…Steve Wozniak must have gone the way of Roebuck…)

Today’s Inspirational Quote:  “Your imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions.”    Albert Einstein

A Laugh for Today:  Laughter is a smile with the volume turned up.

Today’s Fuel4theFire:  It’s only fair. I mean we have Christmas and Resurrection Sunday. Christians are well represented on the calendar. In fact the Gregorian calendar is based on the life of Jesus. So I guess there should be a National Atheist Day as well. I’m as politically correct as the next guy. You know my motto – Earth Day every day! I’m all for equal opportunity and I believe that everyone should have a voice. I’m all for National Atheist Day.

I submit April 1 as the day we recognize the unbeliever on an annual basis. The fact that it happens to coincide with April Fool’s Day only confirms what the Bible says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God…” (Psalm 14:1). In case we somehow missed it, Scripture repeats it almost verbatim in Psalm 53:1.

Never mind that it is not reasonable and that we have to fight off every sensibility within us – hey, let’s celebrate.

I mean it’s possible that nothing created everything … isn’t it? Couldn’t it possibly be that this all just happened? One day we just woke up with consciousness and awareness and our heart started pumping and blood began to flow and our eyes began to see and our digestive system began to work and the race began to perpetuate itself. And the next thing you know I’m standing in the line at the DMV waiting to get my license renewed. To the atheist, it makes perfect sense.

But God doesn’t believe in atheists.

The best argument for God is found in creation itself. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

What we cannot see (God) is evident in what He created.

When I look at a jet airplane, I know there was a designer. It is streamlined and has engines that propel it. It has a pilot and wings and a tail that keep it aloft. When I look at an eagle – I see many of the same things and I know there was a designer as well. What would make me think that one happened by chance and one was designed by an intelligent being? I submit that there would be a better chance of a tornado swirling through a junk yard and leaving the jet plane in its wake than there is of an eagle evolving out of primordial soup. But that’s just me.

From the uncharted vastness of the universe to the most microscopic, subatomic particle, creation declares a Creator. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” (Psalm 19:1).

He is the One who painted the colors on the wings of a butterfly and the One who thought of love. He created laughter and blessed us with the warmth of the sun. He made salmon that swim upstream to lay their eggs at the place of their birth and He is the One who hides the darkness every morning. He is God. He alone is God.

The college professors and scientists and free thinking philosophers who know it all, can make their anti-God argument. And yet there are three year olds in the Sunday school class at Central Assembly of God in Superior Wisconsin who know that in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And “There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.” (Proverbs 21:30)

But don’t hate … celebrate! After all it’s National Atheists Day!

That’s a little fuel4thefire.

And remember … I love you guys.

Tom

Strange and interesting Events from March 25 in history:

1911 – In New York City, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 garment workers. (…the hot spring collection…)

1969 – During their honeymoon, John Lennon and Yoko Ono hold their first Bed-In for Peace at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel (until March 31).

1992 – Cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev returns to Earth after a 10-month stay aboard the Mir space station.

Today’s Inspirational Quote:  “Joy can be real only if people look on their life as a service, and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their personal happiness.”     ~ Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy

A Laugh for Today:  Two snowmen are standing in a field. One says to the other, “That’s funny, I smell carrots too”.

Today’s Fuel4theFire:  I noticed on our Dominoes Pizza box the other day that I could track my order after it is placed. I can go on-line and see if it’s still in the oven, being packaged or if it’s in route to my house. We can do the same thing with orders shipped by UPS. We can track our order. I’ve actually done that before. I can log on and it will show that my package has arrived at the warehouse in Chicago and is ready to be picked up and transported to the Duluth warehouse. I can know exactly when my Lint Lizard will arrive; actually two Lint Lizards … I just had to pay the additional shipping and handling.

It may be helpful for me to know when my pizza will pull into the driveway; and there may be some small benefit in knowing where my Lint Lizard is; but what I really need to know is when my prayer is going to be answered. What we need is a Prayer Tracker. I should copyright this.

The Prayer Tracker would have saved Daniel some grief. Daniel was a Jewish man held captive in a foreign land. In an hour of crisis he prayed and seemingly got no answer. So he fasted and mourned and afflicted himself for three weeks. It turns out the answer was on its way from the moment he prayed, but he didn’t know it. He needed the Prayer Tracker.

“Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words” (Daniel 10:12). In other words, the angel says, “I am here because you prayed.” It just took twenty one days.

Maybe we don’t have a Prayer Tracker because it is good for us to operate in faith not knowing how or when the answer will come. Maybe it was good for Daniel to pray and fast and seek God. Knowing the answer was in route may have produced a complacency in him. Knowing the status of every prayer we offer may produce leanness in our soul. It should be enough to know that the God of heaven hears our prayer.

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14).

Some would say that if you have enough faith God will grant your prayer. I maintain that real faith endures even when the prayer seems unanswered. True faith cannot be contingent on answered prayer. It is a shallow faith that reduces God to a vending machine where we merely place our order, press the right button and wait for the result.

In prayer, we seek the heart of God, offer praise to the Kings of kings, intercede on behalf of others and make our requests known with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). The rest is up to God. It is enough for me to know that He loves me and knows exactly what I need. It’s better than a Prayer Tracker. I do think I could sell the idea though …

So send 19.95 to me, Tom Miller and I will send you the Prayer Tracker. But wait: if you call in the next twenty minutes I will send you two Prayer Trackers. You pay only the additional shipping and handling.

That’s a little fuel4thefire.

And remember … I love you guys.

Tom

Strange and interesting Events from March 18 in history:

37 – The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius’s will and proclaims Caligula emperor.

1834 – Six farm laborers from Tolpuddle, England are sentenced to be transported to Australia for forming a trade union.  (…long before Governor Walker…)

1959 – President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a bill into law allowing for Hawaiian statehood, which would become official on August 21.

Today’s Inspirational Quote:  “Every time we open our mouths, men look into our minds.”

A Laugh for Today:  Q: How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?     A: One, but the light bulb has to really WANT to change.

Today’s Fuel4theFire:  Why did Jesus leave at such a crucial time in the formation of the church? Why did He have to leave at all?

It seems like it would have been nice to have Him around for the events of the early church. We all know what it’s like to lose a favorite pastor or spiritual mentor; you wonder how you are going to make it; imagine the original disciples who walked the dirty, dusty roads of Galilee with Jesus. Jesus seemed to have all the answers. He confounded the authorities with His wisdom and He had the ability to speak life into the downtrodden. He performed miracles. Signs and wonders were prevalent in His day to day ministry. It is easy to understand how the disciples became more than a little co-dependent on Him.

And then He dies on the Cross and they are crushed … devastated. They flee in fear and are left without direction. But then the great day of the resurrection! Jesus is restored to life and He hangs out with them for 40 days! It’s just like old times again. They ask questions like “Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel at this time?”

But instead, He ascends into heaven and they are left gazing into the clouds. You can almost feel it in the text; the “here we go again” … the “what now?” … and that nagging question… “Why does He have to leave us?” It is a good question. Let me give you four reasons:

1. He had to leave in order to reclaim His rightful place in heaven

Don’t forget that He is King of Kings. Stephen saw Him sitting at the right hand of God and that is right where He belongs (Acts 7:56). It is at the right hand of God that He serves as High Priest and intercessor on our behalf (Hebrews 8:1-2; 7:24-25).

2. Because He wanted us to be “doers” and not observers

He wanted us to get in the game. Even the angel said, “Why do you stand there looking into heaven…?” (Acts 1:11). God never intended us to sit in the stands of Christianity and root for all the players. He intended YOU to do the things Jesus did… “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22)

Teams with a superstar player tend to stand around and let the star carry the team. Maybe one reason Jesus left is because He knew we would miss out on the faith-filled experience of doing ministry and using our gifts for His glory. We have enough pew potatoes. Get in the game.

3. So the “Comforter” could come

Jesus told us that His leaving would be profitable & advantageous for us (John 16:7). He would not leave us comfortless (John 14:16-18). Having the Holy Spirit available eliminated all the limitations of the humanity Jesus existed in.

Four problems His humanity caused Him:

1. He needed time to pray to stay in tune with His Father. (Mark 6:46)
2. He grew tired and needed to rest.  (Mark 6:31)
3. The crowds were sometimes too big to manage. (Matthew 13:2)
4. He could only be in one place at one time.

But now, the Holy Spirit would be available to every man, woman and child regardless of race, tribe or tongue. It doesn’t matter where you live or what your economic status is, the Holy Spirit is available to you; and by the way, no appointment necessary.

The fourth and final reason Jesus had to go is …

4. To prepare a place for you and me

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

That’s why Jesus had to resign as Pastor. It doesn’t mean He didn’t care; it means He knew what was best for us. That’s what love is. That’s what love does. And nobody loves you more than Jesus.

That’s a little fuel4thefire. And remember … I love you guys.

Tom