For the right price, you can rest in peace in the tomb of the king. That’s correct. The original resting place of Elvis Presley is to be sold at auction. Elvis was interred in this tomb, but later moved and re-buried at his Graceland home. Who would want this I can’t imagine – sounds a bit ghoulish to me. But there is another empty tomb. For three days it held the body of Jesus. But he arose from that tomb, victorious over death, and today offers eternal life to all who accept his gift of forgiveness. Paul wrote, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” And best of all, it is all free. No auction, no bidding, no charge.
Category Archives: Just a minute
August 15 – Freebie for Proctor and Gamble
Advertisers spend millions to get their products advertised on television during major sporting events. But Proctor and Gamble got a freebie recently during the Daytona 500, when officials used boxes of Tide to clean up after a fiery crash. Proctor and Gamble took advantage of this with a commercial that said, “You keep inventing stains, we’ll keep inventing ways to get them out.” Tide is considered a good product by many, but there is one stain it can never remove. I refer to the stain of sin. No amount of self-effort can remove this stain, only the love of Jesus, expressed on the cross. A much loved old hymn says it well, “Calvary covers it all, my past with its sin and stain. My guilt and despair, Jesus took on him there, and Calvary covers it all.” Christ died for our sins. When we ask Him for forgiveness, He removes the stain forever.
August 13 – False kindness to children
A high school in Bedfordhire England has a policy of not correcting any more than three spelling errors in students’ work for fear that such an action would damage their self-image. Local MP Andrew Selous called this “a false kindness to children” – and he is surely correct. It seems we will go to any length to pretend unpleasantness doesn’t exist. We pretend we are not sick and fail to get needed medical help. We pretend that death ends all. We pretend that sin is just an error in judgment. But the pretense with the most far-reaching and most tragic results is pretending there is no God and no life after death. But truth is never changed by pretense. In the book of Galatians Paul wrote, “do not be deceived. God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows he will also reap.” Isn’t it time you got our head out of the sand?
August 10 – Hope Based on a Falsehood
A fable is told of a man sentenced to death, but who was granted a reprieve of one year by the king. Learning that the king was fond of horses, he had promised he would teach the king’s horse how to fly within a year. His friends laughed but he said,” within the year, the king may die, the horse may die, I may die, or who knows, the king’s horse may learn to fly. This bizarre anecdote teaches us that hope based on unreality is no hope at all – just silly optimism. How much better it is to base one’s hope for time and eternity on the one who can fulfill that hope. One hymn writer put it well, “my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.” On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” Also, Paul the apostle wrote, “may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing …” In what are you putting your hope for the future?
August 8 – Attacked by Chimpanzees
Chimpanzees at a sanctuary for animals in South Africa pulled an American researcher into their enclosure, bit him severely and dragged him nearly half a mile, leaving him in critical condition. The event underscored the unpredictable nature of wild animals. But it can also remind us of dangers that beset us daily – such as temptations to have unscrupulous business deals, to indulge in immorality, to dabble in harmful addictions, or more seriously, to reject and revile the God who made us. These may appear attractive at the beginning, but in the end their bite is more vicious than that of the chimps that day, and can carry us into dangerous territory. Jesus said “the truth shall set you free” – so that when we are properly related to God, through faith in Christ, we have the strength to resist and be victorious over such powerful enticements.
August 6 – Starting Over
In his best-selling book come before winter and share my hope, Dr. Charles Swindoll made the following insightful statement – “to start over, you have to know where you are. To get somewhere else, it’s necessary to know where you are standing.” Perhaps today you are assessing your life, acknowledging your needs and wanting to start over. Maybe you have finished running and ready to change your mind about a lot of things – your lifestyle, the next life, and God. If so, it is necessary to know where you are. The Bible tells us that we are all out of fellowship with our maker until Christ is in our lives. But when we want to start over, Jesus offers us forgiveness for the past and hope for the future. He says, “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice I will come in.”
August 3 – Hand Sanitizer Recalled
A hand sanitizer, meant to protect people from germs, has been recalled because of bacterial contamination, Health Canada announced. This is one of the latest of announcements which come with alarming regularity – contaminated food, water, unfit for humans to drink, cosmetics that are unsafe, and so on. A lot of this confusion is probably due to human error. How reassuring it is to know that, while we cannot always trust supposedly safe products on the market, we can always trust the God of the Bible. He is all knowing, all powerful, He never makes mistakes and He never changes. His word is true and available. David the psalmist wrote of that wonderful book, “your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Please- read the bible – the world’s all-time best seller.
August 1 – The Red and Blue Lobster
There are red lobsters and blue lobsters, but a lobster was caught recently with an almost even split between red and blue. Well if lobsters can have an identity crisis, this one is slated for trouble. Is he red or blue? The bible talks about folks who are “double minded” who can’t make up their mind whether to serve God or not. A divided allegiance will cause constant conflict until a decision is reached. One Old Testament prophet asked his people the following pertinent question: “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him!” Jesus gave a wonderful invitation when he said, “come follow me.” He was saying, “Make up your mind; will it be a life lived for self, or for God?” That invitation is still open to every one of us.
July 30 – Bullying an Old Woman
Four seventh grade students from Greece, New York mercilessly taunted 68 year old Karen Klein on the web, especially making fun of her weight. But they got caught – their identities leaked out on, you guessed it, the web. Sympathy for Klein was so strong, that when it became know what she had gone through, hundreds of thousands of dollars came in to support her. The four tormentors have received an onslaught of threats and abuse, and are under police protection. Surprisingly, in spite of the vicious bullying, police said Klein does not want the children to face criminal charges. There’s no question of their guilt – they were cruel and mean – but she doesn’t want them prosecuted. It reminds one of the Love of Christ. Of Him it was said, “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” And just as there was forgiveness for these mean young rascals, there is forgiveness for you and me.
July 27 – Rollo May’s famous quote
“It is an old and ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way”, so said psychologist Dr. Rollo May. And philosopher Henry Thoreau declared, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” These words fit today’s world so well. Many run from their conscience, fears, past and commitments. They have tried and failed or have succeeded, some accumulating great wealth only to find it doesn’t bring happiness – running from one amusement to another, but still bored. Perhaps as you read today, you are on a quest – seeking answers, seeking peace. Jesus has promised, “My peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you.” Paul told us how to have that peace when he said, “Therefore since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
